Hyderabad: Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are welcoming the new year with an unusual site where they are able to see over a dozen sunrises and sunsets from the International Space Station. As the year 2024 came to an end, the official ISS account on X confirmed that the Expedition 72 crew will see 16 sunrises and sunsets while soaring into the New Year.
The number of sunrises the crew will witness each day is determined by the frequency of the ISS's orbits around Earth. The ISS orbits the planet approximately 16 times per day, travelling at an average speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour. It maintains an altitude of around 400 kilometers with each complete orbit taking roughly 90 minutes.
The International Space Station also shared several sunsets pictured over the years from the orbital outpost, showcasing the beautiful phenomenon from space.
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
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 31, 2024
The Expedition 72 crew includes Ivan Vagner, Don Pettit, Aleksandr Gorbunov, and Nick Hague in addition to Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. The two astronauts have been stuck at the International Space Station since June, following a trip that was supposed to last barely over a week.
Williams and Wilmore launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule to the ISS. Shortly after docking at the space station, the capsule began to malfunction and was deemed unfit by NASA for their return home. The two astronauts were then required to wait for a SpaceX capsule for a safer return. They are now scheduled to return to Earth in March 2025.
NASA recently shared a video of Sunita Williams and her colleagues celebrating Christmas at the International Space Station. "Welcome to the International Space Station as we get ready for the Christmas holidays. It's a great time up here, we get to spend it with all of our 'family' on the International Space Station. There are seven of us up here and so we're going to get to enjoy company together," Williams said in the video.
