When the astronauts stranded on the Worldwide House Station have been pictured carrying Santa hats subsequent to a tiny Christmas tree this week, web commenters had questions.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, in spite of everything, launched in June on what was purported to be an eight-day mission to area — however they’ve been stranded ever since because of issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule that was meant to be their journey house.
“Did they take Santa hats with them earlier than they launched,” one commenter blithely requested on X. “Or did they knit them whereas they’re there?”
One other commenter chimed in: “These the identical guys who went up for an 8-day mission in June?” A 3rd commenter joked “The Gilligan’s Island tune is taking part in.”
Nonetheless others appeared to suppose that the presence of Christmas decorations have been an indication of a grand conspiracy, and that the astronauts aren’t actually caught in area. “It’s all one huge present,” writes one commenter. One other X consumer claimed that the astronauts floating in area have been really in a movie studio someplace.
Nonetheless, the reason is fairly easy — and, in actual fact, fairly festive.
The Submit has confirmed with NASA that the Santa hats — in addition to different decorations, particular presents for the ISS crew members and Christmas meals — have been a part of a 3-ton SpaceX supply in late November.
The Worldwide House Station is replenished with provides a number of instances every year.
The meals supply included ham, turkey, potatoes, greens, and even pies and cookies. Different mission-specific and scientific gadgets have been a part of the supply. And with among the additional area, NASA despatched a couple of festive gadgets for the astronauts, together with the hats and Christmas tree.
In a video posted on-line, Williams wished everybody on Earth a contented vacation season.
“It’s a good time up right here, we get to spend it with all of our ‘household’ on the Worldwide House Station,” she mentioned. “There are seven of us up right here and so we’re going to get to take pleasure in firm collectively.”
“The most effective issues that I like about Christmas is the preparation and simply preparing, the anticipation, all people getting collectively and making ready stuff and simply preparing for the vacation,” she continued.
It’s not Williams’ first Christmas in area: she was a part of a deliberate mission in 2006 that was scheduled throughout the yuletide.
However this Christmas, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are purported to be house with their households by now.
The 2 astronauts blasted off on June 5 on a Boeing Starliner capsule destined for the ISS. They have been initially anticipated to be in orbit for a couple of week.
However the Boeing vessel was constantly plagued with points, together with leaks that made the thrusters malfunction. After a vigorous debate with Boeing, NASA opted to have the spacecraft return unmanned in September, leaving Williams and Whitmore stranded in area.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that’s at the moment docked to the ISS will give them a journey house. It was initially scheduled to depart in early February, however that return date has now been postponed till late March.
A minimum of publicly, the astronauts have placed on a courageous face, saying that they’re in nice spirits and good well being, regardless of footage that appeared to point out a painfully gaunt Williams with considerably lowered physique mass.
“We’re feeling good, understanding, consuming proper,” Williams mentioned in a NASA video earlier this yr. “We’ve a number of enjoyable up right here, too. So, you recognize, individuals are apprehensive about us. Actually, don’t fear about us.”
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