Two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are spending their Christmas holiday in space, hundreds of miles above sea level. Initially expected for an eight-day trip to the International Space Station, their tenure has been extended due to malfunctions with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 61, docked at the space station during a test flight of the Starliner, but NASA leaders decided to bring the spacecraft back to Earth uncrewed, leaving the two astronauts behind. Now, they are enjoying the view of Earth from space and privately communicating with their families via video call and email.
The crew has participated in traditional holiday activities, including dressing up as Santa Claus and making a makeshift reindeer out of spare stowage bags and brown industrial clips. They also staged a cookie-decorating contest with the staff at Mission Control Center in Houston, where they had an unfair advantage due to zero gravity.
For Christmas dinner, the astronauts enjoyed prepackaged holiday foods, including turkey, ham, green beans, and casseroles. However, no confirmation has been given on whether lobster, crab, or quail were part of their meal.
In keeping with tradition, the astronauts recorded a holiday message, this time with candy canes floating across the video screen. They expressed their gratitude for spending time with loved ones during the holiday season and wished everyone a wonderful Christmas.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/26/science/iss-astronauts-holiday-celebration.html