How NASA astronauts, including Sunita Williams, voted in US Election 2024 from the ISS

Sunita Williams

On Tuesday, November 5, Americans across the country, including four astronauts stationed on the International Space Station (ISS), exercised their right to vote in the US Election 2024. NASA astronauts Don Pettit, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, part of SpaceX Crew-9, took the necessary steps to ensure their voices were heard, despite being miles above Earth.

Voting from space underscored the importance of civic duty, as Sunita Williams emphasized in a recent call with reporters, stating, "It’s a very important duty that we have as citizens." She also noted the unique experience of voting from space, describing it as “pretty cool.” Her crewmate Wilmore had expressed gratitude for the chance to vote, having just submitted an absentee ballot request.

Interestingly, neither Williams nor Wilmore had anticipated voting from space initially. They had launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test on June 5, 2024, expecting a short stay on the ISS. However, an unexpected issue with Starliner’s thrusters left the spacecraft docked at the ISS for an extended period, prompting NASA to bring it back to Earth uncrewed. This change in plans led to Williams and Wilmore being integrated into the ISS’s schedule and later assigned as part of SpaceX's Crew-9, which extended their mission and created the need to vote remotely.

For Pettit and Hague, the scenario differed, as they had anticipated voting from space. They had likely prepared by filling out Federal Postcard Applications (FPCAs), a process designed for U.S. citizens and military personnel voting from abroad, including outer space. This method, used by astronauts like Kate Rubins in past elections, ensured they could participate despite their unique circumstances.

Voting from orbit was made possible by a Texas law enacted in 1997, which allowed astronauts to vote from space. This legislation became necessary due to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where most astronauts resided and thus registered to vote. The first American to cast a ballot from space was NASA astronaut David Wolf, who did so while aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station shortly after the law’s passage.

NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Program supported this off-planet voting process. After astronauts completed an electronic ballot, it was transmitted through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System to a ground antenna at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. From there, the ballot was routed to the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center and forwarded to the astronaut’s county clerk, ensuring the vote was counted. This process was carefully encrypted, allowing access only to the astronaut and the county clerk, preserving the vote’s integrity.

As election day concluded, NASA’s efforts highlighted the importance of civic engagement, regardless of location. For assistance with registration, polling locations, or other voting details, U.S. residents could visit USA.gov for comprehensive guidance.