ISS astronauts celebrate Christmas in orbit, sending holiday cheer from 250 miles above Earth

Space.com reports on a holiday message sent from space as astronauts aboard the International Space Station marked Christmas while circling Earth.

The team made a short video message during their life and work about 250 miles above the planet. They are not going to be back for the holidays, but they are still in touch with family, friends, and mission teams on the ground.

In the video, there were four astronauts: Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Chris Williams, and Kimiya Yui.

They are the members of Expedition 74, a long-term mission on the station. Three Russian cosmonauts are also a part of the present crew, but they didn't get in the recording.

The astronauts put up a small decorated place with a tree and stockings set up by an airlock inside the station. They talked about celebrating together and thanked the support teams on Earth for their help.

This message is a continuation of the holiday tradition of astronauts in orbit, which has been happening for more than twenty years. The crew ended their message by sending their holiday and New Year wishes to the people watching.
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A Christmas message from Expedition 74

The Expedition 74 crew used a recorded video to send greetings to people on Earth. Commander Mike Fincke opened the message by saying,

“Greetings to planet Earth, all of our friends and family, from Expedition 74 aboard the International Space Station.”

He added that the crew was thinking of loved ones during the holiday season.

Although the astronauts are far from home, they said they are not alone. Fincke explained,

“We’re with our space family, so we’re okay, and we’re looking forward to spending the holidays together.”

The crew highlighted that Mission Control teams across the United States, Japan, Europe, and Russia continue to support them during the holidays.

Chris Williams, who arrived at the station during Thanksgiving, showed decorations inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. “We’ve got a little tree, and we’ve also hung some boots by the airlock,” he said in the video.

The decorations were small and secured for a weightless environment.

The astronauts also noted that celebrating holidays away from home is not unusual for space crews. Since the ISS has been continuously occupied since 2000, astronauts have spent many Christmases in orbit.

The crew emphasized that the message was also meant to thank the families and ground teams supporting the mission.

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Life and holidays aboard the Space Station

Zena Cardman spoke about sharing the holiday with fellow crew members and support teams.

“It’s so special for us to share the holidays with each other here in orbit,” she said, while also thanking families on Earth who support the astronauts’ work.

Cardman has previously spent long periods away from home during research missions, which helped prepare her for time in space.

Kimiya Yui said that support from friends, family, and Mission Control helps maintain morale. He also mentioned plans to share Japanese food with the crew, adding,

“Probably, I’ll provide a lot of Japanese food for you guys to celebrate the holiday season.”

Food items sent to the ISS often include special meals chosen by crew members.

The astronauts also joked about Christmas traditions in orbit. Cardman said, “I think we may be orbiting a little higher than Santa is flying.” The ISS travels around Earth every 90 minutes, which places it well above aircraft and weather systems.

The current crew includes seven astronauts and cosmonauts living and working aboard the station. While daily work continues as usual, the holiday message reflects how crews mark important dates while remaining focused on research and station operations.
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