Irradiated Turkey and Freeze-Dried Potatoes: How ISS Astronauts Celebrate Thanksgiving

Space station crew members chow down on smoked turkey, shrimp cocktail, candied yams, and other goodies to ring in the holiday from orbit.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 09:34 AM ET

Verified

ISS Expedition 70 astronauts Andreas E. Mogensen, Loral A. O’Hara, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa beam a Thanksgiving Day message down to Earth in 2023. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

Thanksgiving in space is a longstanding tradition, initiated by Skylab 4 in 1973 and celebrated annually on the International Space Station since 2000, fostering a "family" bond among crewmembers.
Astronauts enjoy specially prepared traditional holiday meals, with menus ranging from early non-turkey dinners to elaborate feasts featuring irradiated or freeze-dried versions of turkey, ham, and desserts.
The celebrations have grown in scale and international participation over the years, with record gatherings of astronauts and cosmonauts from multiple nations sharing the holiday.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Living and working 250 miles above the Earth, International Space Station (ISS) astronauts do not have the luxury of spending Thanksgiving with their families. But on the ISS, crewmembers are family.

Space station crews have celebrated Thanksgiving from orbit every November since 2000. Last year, for example, the Expedition 70 crew chowed down on turkey, duck, quail, seafood, and cranberry sauce—with chocolate, mochi, and even pumpkin spice cappuccinos for dessert.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.