NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are stuck in space and will likely remain there until February next year.
Meanwhile, America will hold its 2024 presidential election in November 2024. Despite being stranded in space after Boeing’s solo return, the astronauts will still cast their votes.
Reflecting on their recent challenges, the two described the past few months as “trying at times,” but Williams noted that the transition to station life was manageable, saying, “This is my happy place. I love being up here in space.”
Since 1997, NASA astronauts have been casting their votes from the International Space Station (ISS). To do so, electronic ballots are transmitted to and from the orbiting laboratory.
The process is less complicated than expected: ballots are beamed up to the ISS, where astronauts fill them out. Once completed, the ballots are electronically sent back to Earth. Upon arrival, they’re processed by the designated county clerk.
