Greetings from ISS!

December 22, 2010 10:09 PM

Crew from NASA's International Space Station send holiday greetings to all people of planet Earth.
posted by Taft (29 comments total)

Very mature, that last split second.
posted by Sticherbeast at 10:11 PM on December 22, 2010

Did you catch that at the end?
posted by Taft at 10:12 PM on December 22, 2010

And, now we know why astronauts usually have short hair....
posted by schmod at 10:17 PM on December 22, 2010

That thing you think you see? I think you're reading into it a bit too much. Also: I'm not sure I'd call the ISS "NASA's ISS" considering only two of the six members of the crew are American.
posted by incessant at 10:35 PM on December 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

Uh, it looks to me like he's grabbing it so that it doesn't hit that computer, seeing as the other guy now has to hold the mic. Also, it makes sense that he would turn it downwards so that it isn't in the way.
posted by spiderskull at 10:39 PM on December 22, 2010

A sweet message, but yes, somebody's having a bad hair orbit. And at the end, microgravity or not, you do NOT hold a miniature christmas tree like that, but also, you do NOT take a tree away from the russian cosmonaut, because in russia, tree takes you...
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:46 PM on December 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

Catch what? Other than the silly hair what should we be looking for?
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 10:51 PM on December 22, 2010

I'm so glad to be alive during a time when American and Russian astronauts can send a joint holiday video greeting to the Earth from an international space station that I can watch at my leisure from the comfort of my own home, and the biggest concerns seem to be microgravity hair and Christmas tree orientation.
posted by Durhey at 11:02 PM on December 22, 2010 [27 favorites]

(The non-American in the video is Paolo Nespoli, an ESA astronaut from Italy, not Russia.)(But yes, this child of the Cold War also thinks the joint cooperation necessary to make something like the ISS work is pretty cool.)
posted by incessant at 11:09 PM on December 22, 2010

Again, with the poet they should have sent.
posted by bicyclefish at 11:29 PM on December 22, 2010

Yay! Merry Christmas FROM SPACE! I feel like I'm 6 years old again.
posted by KingEdRa at 11:29 PM on December 22, 2010 [3 favorites]

I blame Berlusconi and Putin that I can no longer tell an Italian accent from a Russian one.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:33 PM on December 22, 2010 [3 favorites]

Too bad the strategic sub crews on station in dark seas still, on this Christmas, won't be seeing this, until after crew change, if then. I'm sure their reciprocation would be as heartfelt as it has been, on every silent, watchful Christmas patrol past...
posted by paulsc at 12:36 AM on December 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

This was lovely. We citizens of the internet are so cynical.
posted by cman at 1:26 AM on December 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

We citizens of the Galactic Federation are upset that Earth once again chooses to ignore us in its local humanoid celebration-entity.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:06 AM on December 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

I've had such a lousy lead-up to Christmas, and then someone posts something here which restores my faith in humanity... or the ISS... or gorgeous Kiwi kids.

For me, here in Oz, Christmas Day is a bit over 24 hours away. I'm not in the mood for it. But, damn, Metafilter keeps insisting on making me all warm and fuzzy.

Thank you all. May you all - including zarq and gator - have a spectacular Christmas and New Year. May Santa bring you everything you want and nothing you need. May the mods have a particularly spectacular week from 25/12 to 1/1/11 because deity-only-knows, you deserve it.

Fuck me and the horse I rode in on, she says, surprised but pleased... I think this is the post which has finally filled me with Christmas spirit.

(Off-topic, yes, I'm copying this and taking it to Metatalk, feel free to delete.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 3:58 AM on December 23, 2010

Where can I get one of those floating Santa Clause dolls?
posted by polluxopera at 4:45 AM on December 23, 2010

Too bad the strategic sub crews on station in dark seas still, on this Christmas, won't be seeing this, until after crew change, if then. I'm sure their reciprocation would be as heartfelt as it has been, on every silent, watchful Christmas patrol past...

more sherry, anyone?
posted by Ritchie at 5:13 AM on December 23, 2010

Astronaut Marsha Ivins had the best (worst?) hair day in space ever.
posted by nomadicink at 5:25 AM on December 23, 2010 [3 favorites]

Odd that they didn't let the representative from the tree planet of Conifera say a few words. Instead they seem to restrain him. I hope that doesn't mean the secret peace negotiations haven't broken-down. Flaming electric death for Christmas would not be very merry.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:48 AM on December 23, 2010 [8 favorites]

Wow. I think this is my most "the future is here" moment. There's something about the way they seemed to be sitting on something, and then I realized they're sitting on nothing - just floating weightless, and talking about the holidays all blase in the space station with crazy hair and a weightless rotating Christmas tree...I'm gonna have to go do something primitive now to offset it. *beats on vending machine*
posted by Miko at 6:17 AM on December 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
posted by swift at 6:28 AM on December 23, 2010 [3 favorites]

Any more horsing around back there and I will turn this space station around RIGHT NOW, DO YOU HEAR ME?!
posted by planetkyoto at 6:36 AM on December 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

If anything restores my faith in humanity, it's videos like these. If anything makes me cynical about humanity, it's comments like many of these.

Happy Holidays, Earth, and best for a new year.
posted by willF at 7:25 AM on December 23, 2010

Previously, the Apollo 8 Christmas reading.
posted by nomadicink at 7:31 AM on December 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Merry Christmas, Earth-weasels, we're outta here!

... Whaddaya mean there's no hyper-drive on this thing?"
posted by Reverend John at 8:03 AM on December 23, 2010

Santa is code-word for UFO right? What is Marsha Ivins trying to relay to us? Must analyze!
posted by pashdown at 1:05 PM on December 23, 2010

May you all - including zarq and gator - have a spectacular Christmas and New Year.

On behalf of myself, thank you, and Merry Christmas to you as well!
posted by Gator at 3:29 PM on December 23, 2010

"Things on Earth are tough, but we're up here in space so you all can suck it!"
posted by Joe Chip at 3:36 PM on December 23, 2010 [1 favorite]