In Service: 1961-1963

In Service: 1961

In Service: 1966-1972
2019 Version Shown

The Case Astronaut Knife M-1 was developed under NASA contract in 1966 and issued to astronauts beginning with the Gemini missions. It remained in use throughout the Apollo program, including the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The knife measures approximately 17 inches overall, with an 11.75-inch high-carbon stainless steel blade. It features a straight edge with aggressive sawteeth on the spine, a full tang, and a smooth, white synthetic handle. The handle material was selected not only for durability and easy cleaning, but also because it would not off-gas in the oxygen-rich environment of a space capsule, helping to preserve air purity. The M-1 was housed in a molded sheath and stored in the spacecraft’s survival pack in case of an off-course landing or extended wait for recovery.

NASA contracted Case to produce 2,494 knives between 1966 and 1972 for flight, training, and backup use. A commemorative run of 1,000 knives was made in 1983, and a second limited reissue was released in 2019 to mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. The knife was designed to assist with post-splashdown survival tasks such as cutting brush, building shelter, or processing emergency rations. It was never intended to be used on the lunar surface. Surviving originals, as well as both reissue versions, are sought by collectors and occasionally appear in auctions, government surplus, or company archives.

In Service: 1986-2006

The TP-82 was a Soviet-designed survival weapon issued to cosmonauts beginning in 1986 and used through the early 2000s. It was designed by Igor Aleksandrovich Skrylev at the request of the Soviet space program after an incident in 1965, when the Voskhod 2 crew landed off-course in the remote forests of the Ural Mountains and were forced to spend the night in the wilderness surrounded by wolves and bears. The TP-82 was a triple-barreled firearm with two smoothbore barrels capable of firing 12.5×70mm shotgun shells and a third rifled barrel chambered in 5.45×39mm, the same cartridge used in the AK-74 rifle. The stock of the gun doubled as a detachable machete, intended for clearing brush, cutting firewood, or basic shelter construction.

The TP-82 was stored in the Soyuz return capsule and was not used during spaceflight. It was kept on hand for survival purposes after landing in remote areas such as the Siberian taiga, where cosmonauts might have to wait several hours or even days for recovery teams. It replaced earlier standard-issue Makarov pistols in the cosmonauts' emergency kits. Approximately 30 units were produced, and the weapon remained in official service until 2006, when its ammunition stocks expired. Since then, Russian cosmonauts have reportedly carried semi-automatic pistols, though no direct replacement for the TP-82 has been confirmed to serve the same multi-purpose function.

In Service: 1978-Unknown

In 1978, NASA ordered 50 Victorinox Master Craftsman knives to be included in the equipment for Space Shuttle crews. The model featured five tool layers, including a large blade, small blade, wood saw, metal file, scissors, can opener, bottle opener with screwdriver tip, Phillips screwdriver, reamer, multipurpose hook, tweezers, and a toothpick. The tools were housed in stainless steel liners with red synthetic Cellidor handle scales. The materials used were selected in part to reduce off-gassing inside the spacecraft cabin. The knife was packed with crew gear and stored in lockers or stowage trays. Victorinox later released a version of the knife called the “Astronaut,” which shared the same toolset and included a space shuttle inlay on the handle scale.

Photographs from missions such as STS-103 (Discovery, 1999) show a Swiss Army Knife floating on the middeck near astronaut Claude Nicollier. The knife visible in the photo is consistent with the Master Craftsman or Astronaut model. In a separate incident during the Shuttle–Mir program in 1995, astronaut Chris Hadfield used a Swiss Army Knife to open a stuck hatch while transferring from the Shuttle to the Russian space station. The tool was also used in orbit for cutting plastic packaging, stripping insulation from wires, or performing minor in-flight adjustments.

In Service: 1999-Unknown

In 1998, NASA contracted Emerson Knives to supply a folding survival knife for use aboard Space Shuttle missions and the International Space Station. Rather than designing a new model, NASA selected Emerson’s existing SpecWar folding knife, with the addition of a guthook cut into its tanto blade, which allowed astronauts to safely open freeze-dried food packages. Only around 30 of these NASA-marked SpecWar knives were produced, each bearing the NASA vector logo and passing specific flight certification testing focused on size, weight, material compatibility, and ergonomic handling requirements 

The SpecWar A variant chosen by NASA features a 154CM stainless steel single-bevel tanto blade, bead-blasted to reduce glare, paired with G10 scales and titanium liners for strength and corrosion resistance. It includes the Emerson AXIS lock and folding guthook for utility and rescue purposes. The knife was tested at NASA facilities such as White Sands Test Site and certified for space use under astronaut specifications. Reports and anecdotal accounts confirm the SpecWar model was used aboard the ISS and Space Shuttle missions, including being carried by cosmonauts who reportedly used it in orbit for simple tasks like slicing food

In Service: 2026

NASA selected the Benchmade 916SBK‑ORG Triage as the survival knife to be carried aboard Artemis II, the first crewed flight of the Artemis program and the first mission to carry astronauts around the Moon since Apollo. Scheduled for April 2026, Artemis II will include the knife as part of each astronaut’s Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS). The Triage was chosen from Benchmade’s existing lineup and required no modifications to meet NASA’s specifications. It is intended for use in post-landing emergencies, including splashdowns that result in extended recovery times or require astronauts to exit the spacecraft on their own.

The knife features a blunt-tip, partially serrated blade made from N680 stainless steel, selected to prevent accidental punctures while offering effective cutting performance. Additional tools include a folding strap cutter, a tungsten-carbide glass breaker, and high-visibility orange G10 handle scales. It opens via ambidextrous thumb studs and locks in place using Benchmade’s AXIS mechanism. The Triage is manufactured in Oregon and bears both the NASA insignia and Benchmade branding.