The Expedition 42 crew orbiting Earth on the International Space Station gets the opportunity to celebrate New Year’s Eve a whopping 16 times as it circles the globe at 17,500 miles an hour.
Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and his crew, which includes NASA’s Terry Virts, Russian cosmonauts Elena Serova, Alexander Samoukutyaev and Anton Shkaplerov, and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, say they plan to celebrate with fruit juice toasts. The year 2015 starts officially for the station crew at 7 p.m. EST Jan. 31, which is midnight by the Universal Time Clock (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), in London. The crew is scheduled to be in its sleep shift, but may elect to stay up late since it has a day off planned for New Year’s Day.
Watch the Happy New Year message
The crew spent New Year’s Eve day working on a variety of experiments, ranging from those directed at better understanding changes that occur in the human eye during long-duration spaceflights, and with Earth observations aimed at helping with disaster aid on the Earth’s surface.
Read more about the Ocular Health experiment
Read more about the ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV)
The crew also continued preparations for the arrival of the next cargo supply ship, the commercial resupply mission of SpaceX-5 and the Dragon spacecraft. Launch of Dragon on a Space-X Falcon 9 booster is planned for 6:20 a.m. EST Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015. NASA Television launch coverage begins at 5 a.m.
Dragon will rendezvous with the space station Thursday, Jan. 8, and Wilmore will use the 58-foot robotic arm to grab the Dragon by its tail and berth if to the station. Grapple is expected about 6 a.m. NASA Television coverage of the grapple starts at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, and installation coverage will begin at 8:15 a.m. Dragon is loaded with more than 3,700 pounds of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations and supplies, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will take place on the space station during ISS Expeditions 42 and 43.
A series of briefings outlining Dragon’s mission and the scientific research it will be carrying is planned Monday, Jan. 5.
Read full schedule of SpaceX-5 and ISS Research briefings
Watch Terry Virts’ #SpaceVine of Robonaut:
Happy New year guys.
Happy New year to you too, i saw you guys pass by between 2 and 4 am. Thanks so much for all your feedback.
Kindest Regards from lausanne, Switzerland.
Happy New year to ISS crew and NASA from the beatiful country Norway
Happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy……………new year to all cosmonauts and astronauts above working and all NASA staff and related people.
“The year 2015 starts officially for the station crew at 7 p.m. EST Jan. 31…”
Is there an error in the date? Jan. 31?
Hello crew,
Happy New Year.
Have a good time in the ISS.
Connie van Kuik
I can’t think of a more exiting way to spend a new year than on an international space station.
Happy New Year Astronauts.
Dear NASA,
Thank you for everything you people do. I wish I could be apart of anything you guys do for everyone.
your the best and hope you get to the distance you are reaching for.
your friend,
Anthony A. Anderson
I had a quick question regarding New Years on ISS. I have seen videos of the Earth, shot from space, that show expanses of clouds which are illuminated by flashes of lightning, often referred to as natures fireworks. Is it possible to see human fireworks on NYE, and if so how do they compare to lightning? Has anyone tried or been able to capture/record a firework show from ISS?
I know Albert Einstein predicted with space travel that youwill age slower……they lost a month already!!!! you guys have been hiding the warp drives!
“The year 2015 starts officially for the station crew at 7 p.m. EST Jan. 31, which is midnight by the Universal Time Clock (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), in London. The crew is scheduled to be in its sleep shift, but may elect to stay up late”
Dear Astronauts,
Have a wunderful and healthy 2015. Thank you for all the good work/ research you’r doing! You are heroes. What a job you all have. Special.
I’ll hope the robot will releave you from the hard work outside the station.
It is my dream you are living. Plese have a save yourney back to earth.
With regards,
Sven
Peace and Hope is what this world needs. Contentment is achieved by keeping these type things in perspective. I flu bug has been visiting the US, so I have brought in my new year; sharing it. I am happy there are things like this website, for a person to be creative; when they don’t feel well. I wish you a Happy 2015 up there and when you get back to earth. Thank you. Ricky, Tampa, Florida
Thank you for your hard work. Not all fun and games. Happy New Year. 2015
My school is Edison Elementary in Sacramento, Ca.. I’m in 6th grade, Mrs Wilson’s class. Have a safe journey.
Best wishes.
Hi space earthlings,
thanks so much for your guest star appearance in our swiss skyline on new years (night). Every time you visit our sky i am so extatic. I can’t get my eyes off you.
Your courage and determination to provide the helpful information for our well being is beyond belief. I am so grateful for your devotion.
Have a safe and healthy start to the New Year!
Thanks for your message.
Regards from Earth.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015 _HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ORBIT
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015_HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ORBIT
Happy new year 2015_Happy birthday in orbit