Only a few individuals have ever spent Christmas in space. It began when Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. The Christmas in space adventure continues today with astronauts and cosmonauts spending Christmas in space aboard the International Space Station.
Here at About Astronomy and Space, we continue gathering information pertaining to Christmas in space. Here are our Top 10 Christmas in Space Resources.
Just a few years ago, the folks at Science@NASA had a chance to interview the big, himself, Santa. Here's that interview, which was conducted Christmas Eve, 1998.
Only a few individuals have ever spent Christmas in space. It all began with the Apollo 8 crew and today, each year, at least two people spend each Christmas aboard the International Space Station. Find out more about some of the unique individuals.
Apollo 8, the 1st manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts; Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, & William Anders did a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and Moon seen from Apollo 8. Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth." They ended the Christmas Eve broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the book of Genesis.
View the video as the crew of STS-103 provide a Christmas water demonstration as they celebrate Christmas in space.
Much like the shepherds and wise men during the first Christmas, people around the world had their attention turned toward the heavens on Dec. 24, 1968, when the Apollo 8 crew delivered its famous Christmas Eve broadcast from lunar orbit. Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders became the first humans to orbit the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968. They were also the first astronauts to spend Christmas in space. Watch the video.
Watch as International Space Station Expedition Six Commander Ken Bowersox, NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin send their best wishes and Christmas greetings to the people of Earth. Merry Christmas from space.
STS-103 Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission --- Watch the video as the STS-103 Space Shuttle Discovery Crew celebrate Christmas aboard Discovery. Christmas in Space.
Two Christmas Videos from International Space Station Expedition 4 at Christmas. Expedition Four ISS Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz send their Christmas greetings to Earth from the International Space Station. Expedition Four Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz join space station Flight Director John Curry and his Mission Control personnel to help Santa Claus complete Christmas his mission on time.
Space up your computer desktop with some astronomy and space related Christmas Wallpaper. From the Apollo 8 Christmas time mission to a very special visitor to the International Space Station, you can get into the holiday mood with a new desktop.
The Expedition 6 cremembers aboard the Internatinal Space Station prepare a cke in the Zvesda Service Module to celebrate the Christmas holidays. Merry Christmas from the international Space Station.
