It could appear exceptional that no American spent the Fourth of July vacation in area for the primary 21 years of human spaceflight. Not till 1982 and the 35^th U.S. human spaceflight did Individuals awaken in area on Independence Day, after which convey their spacecraft again to Earth later within the day to a rousing welcome by the President of the USA. One other 10 years elapsed earlier than extra Individuals discovered themselves in orbit on July 4. However as flight charges and crew sizes elevated, and as Individuals started dwelling and dealing aboard area stations, spending the vacation in orbit was an annual occasion, celebrated with crew members from different nations. By means of 2024, 73 Individuals have celebrated Independence Day in area, eight of them twice, every in a singular fashion.

July 4, 1982 – A story of three shuttles. Left: Area shuttle Columbia makes a landing at Edwards Air Pressure Base (AFB) in California to finish the STS-4 mission. Center: With area shuttle Enterprise as a backdrop, President Ronald W. Reagan, First Girl Nancy Reagan, and NASA Administrator James M. Beggs welcome house STS-4 astronauts Thomas Okay. “TK” Mattingly and Henry W. Hartsfield. Proper: Area shuttle Challenger departs Edwards AFB atop its Shuttle Service Plane on its strategy to NASA’s Kennedy Area Middle in Florida.

For the primary 21 years of human spaceflight, no American astronaut had spent a Fourth of July in area. That each one modified with the STS-4 mission. On July 4, 1982, the ultimate day of their flight, astronauts Thomas Okay. ‘TK’ Mattingly and Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield guided area shuttle Columbia to its first concrete runway touchdown at Edwards Air Pressure Base in California. President Ronald W. Reagan, who two years later instructed NASA to develop an area station, and First Girl Nancy Reagan greeted Mattingly and Hartsfield on the runway as they disembarked from Columbia. Shortly thereafter, the President led a celebration in entrance of area shuttle Enterprise, saying, “TK and Hank, you’ve simply given the American individuals a Fourth of July current to recollect.“ To cap off the occasion attended by 45,000 individuals and broadcast reside on tv, President Reagan gave the sign for the Shuttle Service Plane carrying Challenger, NASA’s latest area shuttle orbiter, to take off to start its transcontinental ferry flight to NASA’s Kennedy Area Middle (KSC) in Florida.

Left: The STS-50 crew in July 1992. Proper: The worldwide STS-71 crew in July 1995.

Ten years handed earlier than American astronauts as soon as once more celebrated the Fourth of July vacation in area. The seven astronauts of STS-50 had accomplished about half of their 14-day USML-1 mission on July 4, 1992, however the busy tempo of the science flight allowed little time for celebrations. Three years later, 10 individuals orbited the Earth in the course of the historic STS-71 first shuttle docking mission to the Mir area station. In actual fact, on July 4, 1995, area shuttle Atlantis undocked from Mir, returning NASA astronaut Norman E. Thagard and his two cosmonaut colleagues from a four-month mission aboard Mir. By coincidence, for NASA astronauts Bonnie J. Dunbar and Ellen S. Baker, this marked their second Fourth of July in area as they each served on the STS-50 crew three years earlier. The day’s undocking actions left little time for celebrating, though Mission Management performed “America the Stunning” because the wake-up track that morning. To fulfill Thagard’s request, following their touchdown at KSC, floor groups handled him and his colleagues to some belated Fourth of July fare of scorching canine, hamburgers, and scorching fudge sundaes.

July 4, 1996. Left: Shannon W. Lucid aboard the area station Mir. Proper: Susan J. Helms within the Spacelab module in the course of the STS-78 mission.

Following Thagard, six different NASA astronauts accomplished long-duration missions aboard Mir. From March to September 1996, Shannon W. Lucid spent six months aboard the Russian station and because the lone American on the Mir 21 crew, she celebrated the Fourth of July by carrying distinctive Stars-and-Stripes socks. Elsewhere in low Earth orbit, with a lot of their 17-day Life and Microgravity Sciences mission behind them, the worldwide crew of STS-78 celebrated the Fourth of July vacation aboard area shuttle Columbia. By sheer coincidence, astronaut Susan J. Helms wore Stars-and-Stripes socks similar to Lucid’s.

July 4, 1997. Left: C. Michael Foale aboard the area station Mir. Proper: The STS-94 crew aboard area shuttle Columbia.

In 1997, C. Michael Foale took his flip because the resident NASA astronaut aboard Mir. On June 25, a Progress cargo car collided with the station, depressurizing its Spektr module, the one Foale used as sleeping quarters and as a laboratory. On July 4, Foale and his two cosmonaut colleagues, nonetheless coping with the accident’s aftermath and making ready to obtain a brand new cargo craft with essential provides, didn’t have time for celebrations. Foale spoke with NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, who referred to as to test on his standing and need him a cheerful vacation. Concurrently, the seven-member all-NASA STS-94 crew additionally spent July 4, 1997, in area in the course of the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission aboard area shuttle Columbia. With eight NASA astronauts in orbit, though aboard two spacecraft, this nonetheless holds the file as the biggest variety of Individuals off-planet on a Fourth of July.

Left: July 4, 2001. Expedition 2 crew members NASA astronauts Susan J. Helms, left, and James S. Voss. Center: July 4, 2006. The crew of STS-121 wave American (and one German) flags as they depart crew quarters for his or her Fourth of July launch. Proper: July 4, 2010. NASA astronauts Douglas H. Wheelock, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Shannon Walker of Expedition 24.

The beginning of steady human habitation aboard the Worldwide Area Station in November 2000 has meant that yearly since, no less than one American astronaut has spent the Independence Day vacation in area. James S. Voss and Susan J. Helms of Expedition 2, the primary NASA astronauts to spend the Fourth of July aboard the area station in July 2001, despatched an “out of this world” birthday message to America, performed throughout “A Capitol Fourth” celebration in Washington, D.C. For Helms, this marked her second July 4 spent in area in 5 years. For every of the following eight years, crew rotations and different elements resulted in just one NASA astronaut residing aboard the area station in the course of the Fourth of July vacation. Celebrations tended to be low key, however all the crew no matter nationality had the break day from their common duties. July 4, 2006, marked the primary and up to now solely time that an American crewed spacecraft launched on Independence Day, the liftoff like a large birthday candle. As they left crew quarters for the journey to the launch pad, the seven-member crew of STS-121 waved flags, six American and one German, for the European Area Company astronaut. With Jeffery N. Williams working aboard the area station, as soon as the STS-121 crew reached orbit, the seven NASA astronauts comprised the biggest variety of Individuals in area on Independence Day since 1997. In 2010, Expedition 24 marked the primary time that three NASA astronauts, Douglas H. Wheelock, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Shannon Walker, celebrated the Fourth of July aboard the area station. Wheelock marked the vacation by posting a message on social media a couple of Congressional Medal of Honor belonging to a soldier killed in motion in Vietnam that he took to area.

July 4, 2013. Left: Expedition 36 astronaut Christopher J. Cassidy wears a T-shirt from the 4 on the Fourth race in York, Maine. Proper: Fellow Expedition 36 astronaut Karen L. Nyberg shows her Fourth of July creation of a cookie she iced within the colours of the American flag.

For Independence Day 2013, Expedition 36 astronaut Christopher J. Cassidy selected to run within the 4 on the 4th street race in his hometown of York, Maine. The truth that he lived and labored aboard the area station didn’t cease him from taking part. Sporting the race’s T-shirt, he videotaped a message for the runners in York, and ran on the station’s treadmill, watching a video of the earlier yr’s race. On the finish of the video message, Cassidy inspired everybody to “have fun our nation’s birthday with household and buddies.” Cassidy and fellow Expedition 36 astronaut Karen L. Nyberg celebrated Independence Day by icing cookies within the colours of the American flag.

Left: July 4, 2015. NASA astronaut Scott J. Kelly data a Fourth of July message throughout Expedition 44. Proper: July 4, 2017. Throughout Expedition 52, NASA astronauts Jack D. Fischer and Peggy A. Whitson showcase their patriotic outfits.

On July 4, 2015, NASA astronaut Scott J. Kelly, within the fourth month of his practically one-year mission aboard the area station, recorded a Fourth of July message for Earthbound viewers. He wished everybody a Comfortable Independence Day and hoped that he would be capable to see a few of the fireworks across the nation from his lofty perch, orbital mechanics allowing. As crew dimension aboard the area station elevated and crew rotations modified, NASA astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams, celebrating his second Fourth of July in orbit throughout Expedition 48, holds the excellence because the final American to spend Independence Day alone in area on July 4, 2016. The next yr, Expedition 52 astronauts Jack D. Fischer and Peggy A. Whitson recorded a whimsical video, posting it on social media, exhibiting their patriotic apparel in varied poses.

Left: July 4, 2018. The Expedition 56 crew discovered the American flag initially flown aboard STS-1 and dropped at the area station by STS-135. Proper: July 4, 2019. Expedition 60 astronauts Christina H. Koch and Tyler N. “Nick” Hague of their best patriotic outfits.

For Independence Day 2018, Expedition 56 astronauts Andrew J. “Drew” Feustel, Richard R. “Ricky” Arnold, and Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor retrieved a really particular flag from stowage. The 8-by-12-inch American flag first flew into area aboard STS-1, the area shuttle’s inaugural flight, in April 1981. One among a thousand flags flown, it ended up in storage for 20 years till retrieved and flown to the area station on the area shuttle’s remaining mission, STS-135, in July 2011. The label on the Legacy Flag, “Solely to be eliminated by crew launching from KSC,” referred to the following launch of American astronauts from American soil aboard an American spacecraft, anticipated someday after the shuttle’s retirement aboard a business supplier. Extra on this flag’s unbelievable journey under. For Independence Day 2019, Expedition 60 astronauts Tyler N. “Nick” Hague and Christina H. Koch, within the fourth month of her record-breaking 11-month mission, so far the longest single flight by a lady, recorded a video message for Earthbound viewers. Particularly, they thanked servicemen deployed around the globe and mirrored on the brilliant future for America’s human spaceflight program.

Left: July 4, 2020. Expedition 63 astronauts Christopher J. Cassidy, left, Douglas G. Hurley, and Robert L. Behnken, maintain the Legacy Flag flown on STS-1 and STS-135. Proper: July 4, 2021. The Expedition 65 crew, Okay. Megan McArthur, left, Mark T. Vande Hei, and R. Shane Kimbrough, tapes a Fourth of July message.

Throughout their Independence Day video message on July 4, 2020, Expedition 63 astronauts Christopher J. Cassidy, Douglas G. Hurley, and Robert L. Behnken wished Individuals a cheerful Fourth of July, and regarded forward to future missions to the Moon and past. Behnken, holding the Legacy Flag that had waited for them aboard the station for 9 years, added that he and Hurley would return it to the bottom since that they had arrived aboard the primary American crewed car to launch from American soil following the retirement of the area shuttle. He indicated that the flag would later return to area aboard the primary American crewed flight to the Moon as a part of the Artemis program. Of their video message on July 4, 2021, Expedition 65 astronauts Okay. Megan McArthur, R. Shane Kimbrough, and Mark T. Vande Hei wished everybody a Comfortable Fourth of July and regarded ahead to future exploration missions to the Moon.

July 4, 2022. Left: Expedition 67 NASA astronauts Robert T. Hines, left, and Kjell N. Lindgren throughout their recorded Fourth of July message. Proper: The Expedition 67 crew photographed the American flag and its patches within the area station’s Cupola.

On July 4, 2022, Expedition 67 NASA astronauts Kjell N. Lindgren, Robert T. Hines, and Jessica A. Watkins spent the vacation aboard the area station. Lindgren and Hines recorded a video message wishing everybody a cheerful Fourth of July vacation. Hines posted on Twitter, now X, “Comfortable Birthday America! The crew of [Crew Dragon] Freedom and Expedition 67 needs everybody again house a cheerful Independence Day!”

Left: July 4, 2023. Expedition 69 NASA astronauts Francisco “Frank” C. Rubio, left, Stephen G. Bowen, and Warren W. “Woody” Hoburg ship an Independence Day greeting. Proper: July 4, 2024. Six NASA astronauts onboard the area station for Independence Day.

In 2023, Expedition 69 NASA astronauts Francisco “Frank” C. Rubio, Stephen G. Bowen, and Warren W. “Woody” Hoburg recorded a Fourth of July greeting from the area station, performed throughout “A Capitol Fourth” celebration in Washington, D.C., wishing everybody a Comfortable Independence Day. July 4, 2024, finds six NASA astronauts, the biggest variety of Individuals in area on the Fourth of July since 2006, aboard the area station, having arrived by three totally different automobiles – Matthew S. Dominick, Michael R. Barratt, and Jeanette J. Epps by Crew Dragon, Tracy Caldwell Dyson by Soyuz, and Barry E. “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita L. Williams by Starliner. For Barratt and Dyson, this marked their second July 4 vacation in area. Within the coming years, extra American astronauts will have fun Independence Day aboard the area station, and at some point we are able to look ahead to a few of them celebrating the vacation on or close to the Moon.