Space Holiday Cheer from the ISS: Astronauts Share a Cosmic Christmas

Astronauts on the International Space Station, 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Earth, sent holiday cheer to those below with a festive video message. Commander Sunita "Suni" Williams, sporting reindeer antlers, joined NASA astronaut colleagues Barry "Butch" Wilmore, Don Pettit, and Nick Hague, plus Russian cosmonauts, for a celestial holiday celebration. "It's a special time up here, " Suni noted. "We get to spend it with our space family. There are seven of us, so we have great company. " Despite the distance, Nick Hague acknowledged the ground teams working tirelessly to support them.

Flight engineer Don Pettit showed off their holiday feast. "We have a feast fit for the stars, " he said. Among the decorations was a small artificial Christmas tree adorned with family photos. Sporting Santa caps, Wilmore, a devout Christian, reminded viewers about the holiday's religious significance. "And, of course, Christmas is about Christ. Hallelujah, a savior is born, " he said. They concluded their message with a simple, "Merry Christmas! " Aiming to inspire viewers to look up at the night sky, they shared tips on spotting Venus and other planets during the festive season.

Actions