How the ISS Crew Marked Christmas in House on December 25, 2025

On Christmas Day, seven astronauts aboard the ISS have been in orbit excessive above the Earth, racing across the planet no fewer than 16 instances at an unbelievable 17,500 miles per hour, whereas everybody else was down under opening presents and spending time with household and pals. Commander Mike Fincke led the Expedition 74 crew in making a touching video message that was despatched again right down to family members, mission management workers, and households all all over the world.

NASA astronauts Jason Williams and Zena Cardman joined Fincke, in addition to Japan’s Kimiya Yui, to provide some private greetings that completely conveyed the mix of lacking residence and feeling near everybody that comes with being in house.

Fincke started the video by wishing everybody on Earth a Merry Christmas, stating that the complete crew was fascinated about their family members this time of yr and lacking residence just a bit much less as a result of that they had one another up there in orbit. He reminded everybody that, whereas being other than your loved ones for the vacations is troublesome, chances are you’ll take consolation in understanding that you’ve your crewmates as a makeshift household. Cardman then went on to say how superb it was to be celebrating the day together with her space-mates in orbit, how grateful she was for his or her help, and the way some folks on Earth laughed when she quipped that she hoped they may fly larger than Santa on supply evening.

Williams then swept the digital camera round to disclose a few of the festive touches the crew had put to the Kibo module’s airlock space, together with a small Christmas tree floating within the nook and stockings strung all over the place, prepared for some treats or notes to be positioned in them. Yui then added some worldwide taste, including that in Japan, they adore the vacation season similar to everybody else, and he vowed to prepare dinner up some conventional Japanese dishes for the group’s Christmas supper, with the remainder of the crew cheering him on.

Particular meals pouches had already been delivered by way of resupply missions, so the crew had some rehydratable turkey, inexperienced beans, candies, and different treats designed particularly for weightless consuming; they have been all planning an enormous group meal collectively, floating round in one of many modules, consuming and having fun with the style of the season.

Regardless that they have been solely 250 miles aside, video calls allowed them to speak with kinfolk again residence in actual time, leading to numerous laughing and tales being shared over the vastness of house. This was, in fact, the twenty fifth anniversary of the primary time people celebrated Christmas in house, which occurred in 2000 as a part of Expedition 1; the custom has developed over time, however the core stays the identical: decorations, meals, messages, and the all-important connection between everybody.