3 August 2025 marked Monolith’s first astronaut integration and spaceflight test, conducted as part of final development ahead of commercial release. A pre-production prototype (MK18) was flown with Turkey’s first private astronaut, Gökhan Erdem, during a NS-34 Blue Origin suborbital mission launched from West Texas. The flight marks a pivotal step in Monolith’s five-year development program, advancing Barrelhand’s mission to build the best possible tool watch for astronauts, guided by the requirements of modern space exploration.

Mission recap

‍The Monolith was worn throughout pre-flight, ascent, microgravity, descent, and recovery as an operational wear test. The objective was simple: validate core performance in a real spaceflight environment and collect post-flight observations to inform final release tuning.

Performance highlights

‍Post-flight analysis revealed Monolith performed to specification across the entire flight profile: maximum altitude 107 km, peak velocity 3,600 km/h, and gravitational forces of 2 g on ascent and 5 g on descent. Monolith maintained stable timekeeping and performed nominally during critical phases, including launch acceleration and descent. Post-flight inspection reported no functional anomalies. These findings now feed into Barrelhand’s final development steps before launch.

“During this once-in-a-lifetime journey to space, having the privilege of also being the first to test Monolith in its native environment was an unforgettable moment. Michael and Karel are remarkable people, and our friendship rooted in a shared passion for space made this experience even more meaningful. Their years of creativity, dedication, and vision, combined with my own dream of reaching space, came together in a way that felt bigger than all of us. Being able to contribute to the testing of such a distinctive watch beyond Earth’s atmosphere was a true honor.”

Gökhan Erdem, Astronaut

Engineered for the next chapter of space exploration

‍From day one, Monolith has been designed around the specific standards and requirements of modern space exploration. The architecture, materials, and design decisions reflect current EVA/IVA requirements, prioritising readability, ease of operation, and resilience in the harsh environments of deep space.

“This flight turns five years of development into verified real-world performance. Thanks to Gökhan, Monolith was put to the test to deliver critical data needed for its final phase of development.”

Karel Bachand, Co-founder of Barrelhand

What’s next

‍With flight data and post-mission feedback in hand, Monolith now progresses to final EVA/IVA testing ahead of its commercial release in Q1 2026.

Follow Erdem Gökhan on Instagram: astrogerdem

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