Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) celebrated Thanksgiving on November 27, 2023, with a festive meal that included traditional dishes and a warm welcome for new crew members. Orbiting approximately 250 miles above Earth, the astronauts shared a holiday experience that blended cultural exchange with culinary delights.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, who is spending his second Thanksgiving in space, expressed his enthusiasm in a video message from the ISS. “This is my second Thanksgiving in space, so I highly recommend it,” he stated, highlighting the unique atmosphere of the celebration.
Festive Menu in Orbit
The holiday feast featured a carefully curated menu, including items specially prepared for space. NASA included a “Holiday Bulk Overwrapped Bag,” or BOB, in a recent resupply mission, ensuring that the crew could enjoy a taste of the season. The bag contained an assortment of seafood and delicacies such as clams, oysters, crab meat, quail, and smoked salmon.
Astronaut Zena Cardman praised the efforts of the ground teams and the food lab at NASA. “Our ground teams and the food lab at NASA have taken such great care of us,” she noted. The astronauts also enjoyed traditional Thanksgiving staples like turkey and mashed potatoes, packaged to prevent crumbs from floating in the cabin. “We’ve even got some lobster, which is amazing. So I think it’s going to be a really, really delicious meal,” Cardman added.
Fincke shared a personal touch by showcasing a can of cranberry sauce sent by the Russian space agency. “It’s kind of neat to have that up here because that’s one of my favorite parts,” he said, reflecting on the emotional significance of celebrating the holiday far from home. “I’m going to miss my family, of course. But I’m up here with my space family and it’s really awesome.”
A Diverse Crew and Cultural Sharing
The Thanksgiving celebration aboard the ISS included a diverse group of astronauts and cosmonauts. In addition to Fincke and Cardman, Jonny Kim joined them, along with three Russian cosmonauts and Kimiya Yui from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Yui emphasized the respect for cultural diversity in space. “We don’t have Thanksgiving in Japan, but here, on ISS, everybody respects each other’s culture,” he remarked.
The crew size increased just in time for the holiday. NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian cosmonauts arrived on the ISS on the morning of Thanksgiving after launching aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The spacecraft launched at 04:27 EST and docked after a rapid three-hour flight, bringing the total number of astronauts on board to ten.
Food plays a vital role beyond sustenance for astronauts living in isolation. Mark Marquette, director of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation, explained that holiday meals provide emotional comfort. “Good old comfort food. And this is what I think Thanksgiving represents in space,” he stated, highlighting how familiar dishes help maintain a sense of humanity and support psychological well-being during long missions.
Thanksgiving in space serves as a reminder of connection and tradition, even in the extraordinary environment of microgravity. As the astronauts share their meal, they embody the spirit of the holiday, taking a moment to pause, enjoy each other’s company, and celebrate their unique journey together.
