NASA astronaut Sunita Williams celebrated Christmas at the International Space Station, sparking a number of online discussions regarding the appropriateness of the event’s timing and festive décor. And now, NASA addresses all of the rumors about it.
A video of Williams and her coworkers posing beside a Christmas tree with the Santa hats on their heads, all wearing red t-shirts, has been released by NASA. In their holiday greetings from space, the astronauts, led by Butch Wilmore, emphasized their shared experience of being stuck in orbit for months because of technical issues.
Netizens were taken aback by the festive display, though, and many wondered how the astronauts managed to get these decorations and festive gear for a mission that was only supposed to last eight hours.
In the Christmas video shared by NASA, Williams expressed her joy about celebrating the holiday with her fellow astronauts. “One of the best things about Christmas is the anticipation and preparation,” she said. “It’s a great time up here with our ‘family’ on the International Space Station.”
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore, still aboard the ISS, sent festive Christmas greetings from space! Posting a message on X saying, “To everyone on Earth, Merry Christmas from our @NASA_Astronauts aboard the International @Space_Station.”#ChristmasInSpace pic.twitter.com/8sRUF1VRyo
— Informed Alerts (@InformedAlerts) December 25, 2024
The Internet Over Christmas Celebration in Space
“Did they bring Christmas decorations months ago, knowing their mission would extend?” one user asked on X (formerly Twitter). Another speculated whether the items had been staged on Earth, suggesting, “This is all one big show filmed at a NASA studio.”
Some even suggested that the fact that there were festive items was evidence that the astronauts were not in space. The skepticism was further heightened by concerns about the astronauts’ extended mission and the capsule’s limited space.
Here’s what NASA says in Clarification
The Christmas hats, tree, and other festive decorations were part of a SpaceX resupply mission in November, NASA confirmed in response to the conspiracy theories.
In a statement to the New York Post, the US space agency explained that the items were part of a regular cargo delivery that also included mission-specific equipment, necessary supplies, and holiday foods like pies, cookies, ham, turkey, and vegetables.
“The International Space Station is replenished with supplies several times each year,” NASA stated, adding that the festive items were sent to boost the morale of the crew during their extended stay in space.
Prolonged ISS Mission
Due to a malfunction in the Starliner spacecraft, the initial eight-day mission was extended, and Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the ISS since June. Their return was first postponed until February 2025 due to thruster problems, but more delays have now caused it to happen in late March.
Concerns regarding the astronauts’ health have been raised by their prolonged stay in space, and some have pointed to Williams’ apparent weight loss in recent months. The crew has adjusted to the extended stay and carried on with their mission responsibilities and scientific experiments in spite of the difficulties.
Having already celebrated Thanksgiving on board the ISS, the seven-member crew will celebrate the holidays together. By the time they return, Williams and Wilmore should have spent nearly ten months in orbit, demonstrating their ability to persevere in the face of unanticipated difficulties.
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