'Don’t worry about us': Here’s how the astronauts stuck on the ISS celebrate Thanksgiving
Astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore were only supposed to be on the International Space Station (ISS) for eight days. Instead, they're not scheduled to come back until February.
Like millions of Americans, Williams and Wilmore will be having a Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. But unlike everyone on Earth, the two astronauts will be passing the turkey and sides in a zero-gravity setting. NBC News reported that the team of astronauts is still planning a special meal with many of the traditional fixings that their fellow Americans will be enjoying beneath the atmosphere.
“We have a bunch of food that we’ve packed away that is Thanksgiving-ish,” Williams told NBC News. “Some smoked turkey, some cranberry, apple cobbler, green beans and mushrooms and mashed potatoes.”
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Both Williams and Wilmore were test pilots for Boeing's Starliner, which they flew to the ISS in June. But due to problems with the craft's thrusters, they've been aboard the ISS for months longer than they planned for. Because astronauts can only take so much with them to the space station, they receive occasional deliveries from Earth to replenish their food supplies. CNET reported earlier this week that the ISS received a schedule food shipment, though it was accompanied by an awful smell.
"After opening the Progress spacecraft's hatch, the Roscosmos cosmonauts noticed an unexpected odor and observed small droplets, prompting the crew to close the Poisk hatch to the rest of the Russian segment," a NASA spokesperson said, emphasizing that there were "no concerns" for the ISS' crew. ""Space station air scrubbers and contaminant sensors monitored the station's atmosphere following the observation, and on Sunday, flight controllers determined air quality inside the space station was at normal levels."
Despite rumors that Williams and Wilmore have been malnourished during their time aboard the ISS, Williams insisted that she weighs the same as she did before she went to space. She also pushed back on the narrative that she and her colleague were "stranded" on the space station, saying that while they arrived in one craft, they'll be flying home in another in less than three months.
"We’re feeling good, working out, eating right,” Williams said. “We have a lot of fun up here, too. So, you know, people are worried about us. Really, don’t worry about us.”
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Click here to read NBC's report in full.
