How do astronauts celebrate Thanksgiving in Space? Well, according to NASA representatives astronauts in space give thanks and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal, even though that meal may come in what most of the people on Earth consider an unusual shape or form.
Astronauts on the International Space Station have recently even delighted earthbound space aficionados with a video clip in which they try to perform the typical Thanksgiving rituals as well as they possibly can in zero gravity. Astronauts Scott Kelly, who is almost at the end of his one-year mission, and Kjell Lindgren, recorded a video preview of what their holiday dinner would look like by discussing what they were each thankful for and even attempting to take a few bites out of their specially packaged meals.
What they actually do on Thursday, however, is up to them because the both of them, alongside Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui will be granted a well-deserved day off from their research work on the International Space Station and will part take in a special Thanksgiving meal along with the other astronauts currently aboard the space station: Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Volkov.
During the video presentation Lindgren wished everybody on Earth a warn and happy Thanksgiving and explained how happy and fortunate he felt to be on the International Space Station and to work in its orbiting laboratory, which he then went on to praise for its allowing of scientists from all around the world to conduct research that benefits all of humanity.
The astronaut did not forget to honor the hard work of his colleagues on the ground, the ones working from the ground in order to ensure the safety of all astronauts working on the International Space Station. He also used the opportunity to thank his family for their support of his work, which one might imagine is vital for anyone who decides on such a career path.
But on Thursday, when the astronauts on the International Space Station will have they day off, it seems that the general consensus for leisure activities includes playing some football and relaxing around the space station. It seems that, while the Russian astronauts on the International Space Station do not celebrate Thanksgiving and will not be taking the day off as a consequence of this fact, they will still join the rest of the space station crew for the celebratory Thanksgiving holiday meal.
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