'Space Oddity' (1969) was David Bowie’s breakout single, and one of rock's first space-themed hits. It tells the story of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who drifts into space ('Here am I sitting in a tin can…'), inspired in part by the film *2001: A Space Odyssey*. Coincidentally, the BBC aired the song as the Apollo 11 crew launched to the Moon, amplifying its reach; the single then became Bowie’s first UK Top 5 hit. The song’s eerie mellotron and Fender Strat guitar create an otherworldly atmosphere. Major Tom’s saga continued in later Bowie songs ('Ashes to Ashes'), and 'Space Oddity' remains a cultural touchstone – even NASA’s Mars rover carried a copy to Mars, cementing its legacy in both music and space lore.