Science

Astronauts voice New Year 2009 greetings for peaceful Earth

by William Atkins

Wednesday, 31 December 2008

The International Space Station Expedition 18 astronaut crewmembers will air a special New Year’s multi-language greeting as they orbit high above the Earth.

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The NASA astronauts will provide their wishes for a peaceful Earth in all of languages of the countries participating in the international effort of the Space Station.

Besides the United States, the International Space Station is a joint effort of Russia (through its Russian Federal Space Agency, RKA), Canada, (Canadian Space Agency), Japan (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA), Brazil (Brazilian Space Agency, BSA), and Italy (Italian Space Agency, ISA).

Eleven European countries also participate through the European Space Agency (ESA).

According to the NASA media release, “NASA TV to air space station crew’s New Year’s message," ”From their vantage point 220 miles above Earth, the astronauts express their year-end thoughts on the significance of the international outpost and their New Year's wish for the complex in 2009.”

ISS Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke and flight engineer Sandy Magnus will begin their NASA TV newsfeed on Monday, January 5, 2009.

The message begins at 12:00 noon Eastern Standard Time (EST), 1700 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

To find out when the broadcast begins at your local time, please go to Time Zone Converter.

For the NASA TV greeting from the International Space Station, go to: NASA TV.

For additional information on the Expedition 18 crew, please visit: NASA ISS Expedition 18.

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