NASA Astronauts’ Christmas Snapshot Sparks Intriguing Inquiry

Originally published on E! Online

The stranded NASA astronauts are embracing the festive spirit this Christmas, even while being miles away from Earth.

Sunita “Suni” Williams — who has been stuck in space with counterpart Barry “Butch” Wilmore since June — has recently joined some fellow space adventurers aboard the International Space Station to celebrate the holiday.

“Another day, another sleigh,” NASA remarked in a recent Instagram post featuring Williams and American astronaut Don Pettit grinning while donning red Santa caps. “Don Pettit and Suni Williams, Expedition 72 flight engineer and commander, took a delightful holiday portrait while chatting on a ham radio in the Columbus laboratory module of the International Space Station.”

While the space voyagers appear to be in high spirits in the picture from Dec. 16, the festive imagery sparked a significant question among those monitoring Williams and Wilmore’s return journey: How did they acquire Christmas attire after being in orbit for over six months?

One commenter asked, “Where did the Santa hats originate if they’ve been up there for months and had only planned a brief trip? It seems peculiar to have that on hand…”

READ: Learn what NASA’s stranded astronauts feasted on for Thanksgiving aboard the International Space Station

Another individual questioned, “8 day expedition, coincidentally possessing Santa hats.”

The origin of the Santa hats remained unclear, but this isn’t the first occasion the duo has celebrated an unplanned holiday in space — just last month, they observed Thanksgiving on the ISS. Although Williams and Wilmore couldn’t spend time with their families for Turkey Day, they still enjoyed a menu featuring all the traditional offerings — albeit in dehydrated space pouch form, naturally.

“We have a variety of food that we’ve saved which is Thanksgiving-like,” Williams mentioned during an NBC Nightly News segment with Lester Holt on Nov. 27. “Some smoked turkey, cranberry, apple cobbler, green beans and mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.”

Pettit, American Nick Hague, and three other Russian astronauts also joined in on the Thanksgiving feast.

Williams and Wilmore became stranded in space back in June due to a malfunction with their Starliner vehicle. Although the team had planned for the mission to last only eight days after launching from Earth this past summer, a leak in their Boeing spacecraft related to its propulsion has left them unable to return.

While they were initially meant to come back in February 2025, it was disclosed earlier this month that their return will actually be delayed.

NASA confirmed that the duo is now not expected to return until March or April due to a postponement in launching their replacements at the ISS.

“We’re feeling well, exercising, and maintaining a healthy diet,” Williams reassured anxious followers earlier this year. “We enjoy ourselves up here, too. So, you know, people are concerned about us. Really, don’t worry about us.”

NASA announced on Thursday that the upcoming Artemis mission, which aims to send four astronauts on a flight around the moon, will be postponed until 2026.