(MENAFN- Live Mint) Astronaut Sunita Williams and her crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have sent heartfelt Christmas greetings to Earth from their unique vantage point in space. In a video shared by the US space agency NASA, Williams and her colleagues talk about their holiday plans, sharing moments of joy and camaraderie while orbiting above the planet.
Christmas holiday plans in space
"Welcome to the International Space Station as we get ready for the Christmas holidays. It's a great time up here, we get to spend it with all of our family on the International Space Station," Williams said in the video. "There are seven of us up here, and so we're going to get to enjoy company together."
Williams expresses love for the Christmas season
Williams expressed her love for the Christmas season, particularly the preparation and anticipation that comes with the holiday. "One of the best things that I like about Christmas is the preparation and just getting ready, the anticipation, everybody getting together and preparing stuff and just getting ready for the holiday," she shared.
Festive spirit at Space Station
The crew, dressed in Christmas festive attire, had even set up a Christmas tree and placed holiday decorations aboard the space station. Williams was joined by three of her colleagues who sported Santa hats.
Sending Christmas wishes to family and friends
"A couple of little things we have here with us to just prepare, which will be sort of fun in a couple of days," Williams said. She passed the microphone to one of her fellow astronauts, who spoke about the importance of spending time with loved ones during the holiday season. "Christmas time, the holiday season, is about spending time with friends and family. This year, we're going to be away from them. So, we wanted to send our heartfelt Merry Christmas and we hope you have a wonderful holiday," he said.
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The crew also expressed their gratitude for the support they receive from the ground team. "There is a huge team on the ground that's going to support us in mission controls around the globe over the holidays," the astronaut added.“I want to thank them for the sacrifices that they are making. Together, we work hand-in-hand with the ground every day and over the holidays, we keep this mission going. Merry Christmas.”
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Another astronaut mentioned that a large amount of food had been delivered to the ISS for the crew to enjoy during the Christmas festivities. A recent supply delivery from SpaceX's Dragon capsule brought essential supplies as well as holiday gifts to the crew.
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Williams and astronaut Barry Wilmore , who were launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in June 2024, had originally planned to return in February 2025. However, due to a delay in SpaceX's Crew-10 mission, their return has been postponed until March 2025 , NASA confirmed on December 17.
Despite being away from their families, the crew's positive outlook and holiday spirit shine through as they continue their mission aboard the ISS, keeping up the tradition during the festive season.
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