How Astronauts Celebrate the Holidays While Orbiting Earth at 17,500 Miles Per Hour
In short: Living 250 miles above Earth requires unique adaptations for holiday traditions. This video explores how crews aboard the International Space Station maintain festive customs, from specialized microgravity meals to exchanging gifts that float through the modules, while continuing their vital scientific research.
For 25 years, crews have marked occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's while circling the planet every 90 minutes. To maintain a sense of home, astronauts receive holiday-themed food shipments from the Johnson Space Center, featuring items like smoked salmon, turkey, and shelf-stable treats. These menus are carefully curated with nutritionists before launch.
Beyond the food, the experience involves decorating the station and connecting with family via video calls. During Expedition 42 in 2014, Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti highlighted how these traditions persist even while conducting complex laboratory research. These celebrations serve as a reminder of human connection, even as the station functions as a critical platform for future deep-space exploration.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Space Station Crew Members Discuss Life in Space at Holidays with the Media
- Also: Holidays in Space: 25 Years of Space Station Celebrations - NASA
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