Kirkus Reviews said the novel "may be (VanderMeer's) best book yet"[5] while in The Guardian, Nina Allan called Dead Astronauts "genuinely innovative."

Allan added, "the author deliberately deconstructs the very concept of familiarity and forces us up against his subject matter in a way that demands we not only engage with it, but recognize its vast importance to our lives and futures.".

[6] Writing in Wired, Emma Grey Ellis said "the story, such as it is, is elusive, given to tangent, to mad jumps in time and universe and perspective.

Martine added that "Dead Astronauts moves in shutterclicks, shifting points of view and moments in time.

"[8] Publishers Weekly, however, called Dead Astronauts "lackluster" and that "This diffuse novel reads like unused notes from Borne and feels incomplete.