Thanksgiving is a special day when people take time to appreciate all the things they are grateful for. This time of the year is also a chance to be with family, enjoy bonding moments and basically celebrate life - at least on Earth.
For astronauts working miles away from their loved ones, the situation is quite different and it is interesting to find out how they celebrate Thanksgiving, space-style.
Good thing astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren released a video explaining how they will be spending their Thanksgiving up in the International Space Station (ISS), 250 miles up from the surface of the Earth. Aside from having dinner in zero gravity, everything appears pretty much the same as how Earthlings celebrate.
The Crew
Thanksgiving in space does not only mean expressing gratitude, it is also an opportunity for astronauts from different countries to come together and celebrate one of the most important holidays for Americans.
Kelly and Lindgren will have their Thanksgiving meal with the other members of the ISS crew: Kimiya Yui from Japan and Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Volkov from Russia.
Food
In the video, the astronauts showed what their Thanksgiving meal consists of. The feast includes pouches of candied yams and rehydratable corn. The meal also has the iconic Thanksgiving dish of smoked turkey. For the space version, however, the turkey has been irradiated.
Day Off
Kelly, Lindgren and Yui will get the day off from work, which is an opportunity for them to spend more talk time with families and friends back on Earth.
"We're gonna watch some football, it's gonna be a bit later in the afternoon for us but we're planning on doing that," Kelly said.
Messages Of Thanks
Despite the unconventional Thanksgiving setup in space, the astronauts took time to share their messages of gratitude.
"We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be ... living in this amazing orbiting laboratory," said Lindgren. For him, the ISS is evidence of the possibilities that can be achieved if great nations "work together with communication, cooperation and collaboration toward peaceful means."
Kelly took the chance to express some realizations that he had acquired as an ISS crew. He said that being in the ISS has given him the opportunity to see what it means like to be a citizen of the Earth and for that he is thankful.
Lindgren is set to return to Earth on Dec. 11 while Kelly will stay for a few more months as he completes his year-long mission, due to end on March 2016.
