In which season did Howard Wolowitz go to space?
Answer
Season 5
Howard Wolowitz went to space in Season 5 of The Big Bang Theory.
The season-five finale, “The Countdown Reflection,” follows Howard's launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. He travels as part of Expedition 31, becoming the first major character in the group to leave Earth for a professional space mission.
Howard is an aerospace engineer with a master's degree from MIT, and his engineering work had previously involved equipment sent into space. His mission therefore turns an ongoing character joke—his lack of a doctorate compared with Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj—into a major achievement. He is anxious before launch and suffers from intense fear, but ultimately completes the journey.
The timeline can be confusing because Howard's spaceflight occurs at the end of Season 5, while its consequences continue into Season 6. NASA astronaut Mike Massimino appears as himself and helps anchor the storyline in real spaceflight culture.