As the New Year begins on January 1, 2025, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), will experience 16 sunrises due to the station’s rapid orbit around Earth.
Williams is the commander of the “Expedition 72” mission, accompanied by fellow flight engineers Alexey Ovchinin, Butch Wilmore, Ivan Vagner, Don Pettit, Aleksandr Gorbunov, and Nick Hague.
A Unique New Year’s Perspective
According to a post on NASA’s social media platform X, the Expedition 72 crew will witness 16 sunrises and sunsets as the station orbits Earth at approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 miles per hour). Positioned about 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the planet, the ISS completes one orbit every 90 minutes, resulting in multiple sunrises and sunsets daily.
Originally, Williams and Wilmore traveled to the ISS in June 2024 aboard the Boeing Starliner capsule for an eight-day mission. However, their stay was unexpectedly extended after the spacecraft was declared unsuitable for their return. NASA recently announced that their return is now scheduled for late March 2025, along with Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Festivities in Space
In the lead-up to Christmas, Williams shared a video message highlighting the camaraderie among the seven crew members aboard the ISS. “It’s a wonderful time up here. We get to celebrate with our ‘family’ on the station,” she said.
Despite the challenges, the crew has maintained regular communication with loved ones on Earth and adapted to their prolonged mission. NASA has confirmed they will return as part of the four-member Crew-10 mission, which is expected to arrive at the ISS early next year.
This unique New Year’s celebration serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of astronauts working on the frontier of space exploration.
