New Year in Orbit: How NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and ISS crew celebrate with '16 sunrises' a day in space

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Don Pettit

Life on the International Space Station (ISS) offers unique experiences. Floating in microgravity and viewing Earth from orbit are everyday marvels. Yet, celebrating the New Year in space presents its own challenges.

The ISS orbits Earth at 17,000 mph, completing 16 rotations daily. This means astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. To synchronise activities, the station operates on Universal Time Clock (UTC), aligned with Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The New Year officially began at midnight UTC, marking the arrival of 2025 aboard the ISS.

Celebrating the New Year in Space

A post on X from the official space station account stated, 'The Expedition 72 crew comprises NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, and Nick Hague. They are joined by Russian cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. The team decided on a shared celebration time, simplifying festivities in the absence of alcohol, which is prohibited on the ISS.'

As 2024 comes to a close today, the Exp 72 crew will see 16 sunrises and sunsets while soaring into the New Year. Seen here are several sunsets pictured over the years from the orbital outpost. pic.twitter.com/DdlvSCoKo1

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International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 31, 2024

While each astronaut might celebrate their home time zone, they typically gather in one module. Special treats are enjoyed, adding a festive touch to the occasion. A post on X from the ISS account read: “As 2024 comes to a close today, the Exp 72 crew will see 16 sunrises and sunsets while soaring into the New Year."

Special Memories for Astronauts

For Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, this celebration is particularly meaningful. They arrived at the ISS in June on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, marking its first crewed flight. Technical issues required the Starliner to return without them, leaving them to stay aboard the station. They are now scheduled to return to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon in March.

Watching the arrival of 2025 from 250 miles above Earth will undoubtedly remain a cherished memory for the crew. The unique blend of science, teamwork, and camaraderie defines life aboard the ISS.