Seven astronauts are celebrating the holiday season aboard the International Space Station, but that doesn’t stop them from sending holiday applause back to Earth.
Expedition 64 crew members take their day off, but NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins, as well as Japanese space program astronaut Soichi Noguchi, took some time to Send a message of “resistance” back home during a particularly difficult holiday season.
“Resilience” is also the name they gave SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule which launched four of the astronauts to the space station last month.
“We have selected this name as a tribute to the people around the world and the teams that are helping us accomplish our mission during a life-changing year,” Hopkins said. “We would also like to remember everyone we lost this year.”
“There couldn’t be a better name to describe 2020,” Glover added. “The resilience of the human spirit is something we can truly celebrate in this special season.”
“As we prepare to watch the holidays away from loved ones, we look down at our precious planet and it becomes clear how connected we really are,” Walker said.
Hopkins, Glover, Walker and Noguchi launched at the station in November, joining Rubins, as well as Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who will spend Christmas relaxing, calling family and friends and sharing together. a festive meal.
“My family on earth is definitely in my thoughts, in my prayers and in my socks,” Glover said. another video, showing her personalized socks with photos of family members. “But that makes me think of all those who are also unable to spend their holidays with their families,” he added, thanking service members and health workers during the pandemic.
Earlier this month, a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at ISS with new supplies – including Christmas gifts and bindings. Roast turkey, cranberry sauce, cornbread sauce, cherry blueberry mushroom, au gratin potatoes, cakes and other pieces for a seven-person holiday, all arrived before the holiday.
The holidays “mean the three F’s – family, friends and food,” Walker said.
Noguchi also received a special food product from a group of Japanese students at Wakasa High School: a small box of mackerel.
“We hope you will be able to take the opportunity to celebrate the holidays before turning the calendar into a fresh year, with renewed hope and spirit for the future,” Noguchi said.
Rubins said the crew is hosting a contest this Christmas against the Mission Control team at the Johnson Space Center – any team that decorates their workstations with the best DIY decor they have in space and Mission Control wins.
“I know you launched a challenge and let me tell you, decorating the mission control? The challenge was accepted,” said NASA Flight Director Zebulon Scoville, wearing a festive blazer and tie. “You may have to cut this coat to turn it into something new.”
Santa’s sleigh made a special stop at the ISS his first year, according to him NORAD, The North American command of aerospace defense, which “follows” Santa’s travels every year. The Federal Aviation Administration approved Santa Claus for the space flight on Wednesday, granting him a special commercial space license for an ISS manned mission aboard his “StarSleigh-1 space capsule, powered by the Rudolph rocket.”
“Let’s face it, 2020 has been a difficult year, and we could all use a special holiday joy that only Santa can offer,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.