Three NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, and Don Pettit, made history by voting early for the presidential election from the International Space Station. This unique event was confirmed by the Harris County Clerk of Court’s Office in Texas.
The astronauts shared their patriotic spirit by posting a photo on Instagram on Election Day, showcasing their patriotic-colored socks. Two of the astronauts proudly displayed socks that read “Proud to be American.”
These astronauts are among the more than 1.2 million people who participated in early voting in Harris County, Texas.
So, how do astronauts vote from space? The ballots cast in space are transmitted to Earth through NASA’s Near Space Network, which consists of satellites in space communicating with antennas on our planet. This process is similar to how data is transmitted between the space station and mission control.
During a news conference on September 13 from the space station, Williams expressed her excitement about fulfilling her civic duty from space, stating, “It’s a very important duty that we have as citizens, and I’m looking forward to being able to vote from space, which is pretty cool.”
