ISS Astronauts Celebrate Christmas

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, commander of Expedition 26 aboard the International Space Station, poses for a holiday photo near the station's miniature Christmas tree.

CREDIT: NASA

The six astronauts aboard the International Space Station can't come home for the holidays, but they're doing their best to make the season bright hundreds of miles above Earth's surface.

The spaceflyers have decked the halls of the $100 billion orbiting lab, and — like many of us Earthbound folks — they plan to celebrate Christmas with a party and a feast.



"We've already put up decorations, and we've gathered together all the cards and gifts that our friends and families have sent to us, and we're planning a couple of big meals," NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, commander of the space station's current Expedition 30 mission, said last week. "That'll be great."

Xmas Tree - Happy Holidays!

Top Christmas Gifts for the Space Enthusiast

It's Christmas, and you want to find the perfect gift for your loved one who is interested in astronomy or space exploration. Here are our top five Christmas gift ideas that any space enthusiast will surely love.

1. Apollo 11 Space Suit Hi-Fi Replica
From Space Toys, you can get your loved one his own Apollo 11 NASA Space Suit. Made from heavy duty Nylon Cordura, quality is assured from the machining of aluminum hose fittings and neck ring to the anodizing of the aluminum fittings. Metal parts are also hand created while each suit is hand sewn. The helmet is also hand made from adding the gold to the visor to adding the cloth wrap cover. A real collector's item.

2. Project Mercury DVD
This six-set DVD offers a view of America's first manned space project. It is a stunning documentary of Mercury's flight to two sub-orbital and four orbital missions to build experience in the new frontier of space, including footages from the development, training of the original seven astronauts, development and primate flights, plus coverage of each mission including preparation, ingress, launch, onboards and recovery. Enjoy more than 24 hours of material on six DVDs from Countdown Creations.


3. Zhumell Tachyon 25x100 Astronomical Binocular with Tripod Package
Your space enthusiast will surely love this binocular and tripod set that offers a great astronomical viewing experience. The Zhumell Tachyon 25x100 Astronomical Binocular with Tripod Package includes Zhumell's Tachyon 25x100 astronomical binoculars and the Zhumell Heavy-Duty Tripod for an exciting bino-astronomy observation.

4. Beyond Earth
Book lovers will be smitten with this National Geographic publication. Co-published with the Smithsonian Institution, this one of a kind book details almost 5,000 years of stargazing, with great illustrations, from the Chinese and Aztecs to the Hubble Space Telescope.

5. Discovery Discovery Star Theater V3 Home Planetarium
Have your own planetarium at home for your loved one. Hundreds of twinkling stars and constellations projected onto your walls and ceiling will transform your room into a 360-degree planetarium. From Discovery, the Star Theatre V3 Home Planetarium is also educational as it provides astronomical facts, correctly positioned celestial bodies, and includes a built-in liquid-filled compass & glow light feature.

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