New Delhi: Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit have shared a photo from the International Space Station, which features their colourful socks bearing the message “Proud to be American.” The photo was shared on the US Election Day on November 5.
Posted on Instagram by NASA astronaut Nick Hague, it highlighted a powerful message about the significance of voting, no matter where you are and how you are placed — sitting, standing, or floating in space.
Netizens overwhelmed
The photo evoked huge response from the netizens. One user lauded the “Dream Team” for sending across a great message. Another wrote about the unique experience of voting in “Zero Gravity”.
It was from the International Space Station that the astronauts exercised their franchise for the US presidential polls, as they joined more than 1.2 million other electorate in Harris County, Texas, who took part in early voting as well.
How votes from space are transmitted
Votes that are cast in space are sent back to Earth through NASA’s Near Space Network. Near Space Network is a system of satellites that communicate with antennas based on the ground. On September 13, during a press conference from the space station, Williams had voiced how excited she was about voting from space, and why civic duty was so important.
Since 1997, voting from space has become possible for American astronauts, due to the legislation passed by the Texas Legislature. The legislation permits eligible electorate who are on a space flight during the early voting period and Election Day to cast their votes.
In 1997, David Wolf scripted history when he became the first US astronaut to vote from space. He did so while aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station. After this, a number of astronauts have done so.
