No less than one election poll this yr got here from out of this world.
NASA astronaut Josh Cassada zipped up the sleeve on his Worldwide House Station (ISS) bunk mattress, making a modified voting sales space to vote within the U.S. midterms from area Tuesday (Nov. 8).
“I’ve voted my total grownup life, however this yr’s voting sales space positively takes the cake,” Cassada, a U.S. Navy captain, joked in a tweet (opens in new tab) displaying off the closed-off bunk. “So grateful to everybody — particularly democracy — for permitting me to stay a part of this important course of this yr.”
Cassada and the opposite U.S. astronauts aboard the complicated proper now are eligible to vote by absentee poll. The method entails the astronaut filling out a Federal Postcard Utility (opens in new tab) poll earlier than liftoff. (It is just like an absentee poll different U.S. residents use, however focused at populations dwelling abroad or within the case of Cassada, in area.)
Associated: Election 2022: How astronauts vote from area
The opposite eligible U.S. voters amongst Expedition 68 embody Kjell Lindgren (an American born in Taiwan), Loral O’Hara, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (the primary Black feminine on a long-duration flight), Nicole Mann (the primary Native American feminine in area) and Frank Rubio (the primary Salvadoran-American in area).
“I can not affirm if the people onboard will vote — that has to come back from them,” Dan Huot, NASA’s public affairs lead for the ISS, informed House.com when requested if the others plan on it. Huot confirmed, nevertheless, that the absentee poll course of beforehand utilized by NASA astronaut Kate Rubins in 2020 is similar to what’s potential in 2022.Â
I’ve voted my total grownup life, however this yr’s voting sales space positively takes the cake. So grateful to everybody – particularly Democracy – for permitting me to stay a part of this important course of this yr. pic.twitter.com/l9r83wxoxjNovember 8, 2022
NASA has been a number one merchandise on the political agenda in current months. U.S. president Joe Biden confirmed the company’s dedication to stay on the ISS by way of 2030 with the passage of the CHIPS Act this summer time. NASA’s 2023 funds acquired a $23 billion request from the White Home, together with a promise to place astronauts on Mars by 2040.
The continued Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February, nevertheless, has torn aside most area partnerships except for the ISS and set the tone for tense worldwide moments. One current instance was threats by Russia that it’s going to fireplace on U.S. industrial satellites taking a look at Ukraine from orbit, which prompted a response from the White Home.
Authorities-funded army area has additionally been fairly lively lately with the creation of a brand new United States House Power unit pledging to offer “vital intelligence on menace techniques, international intentions and actions within the area area.”Â
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of “Why Am I Taller (opens in new tab)?” (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a ebook about area medication. Observe her on Twitter @howellspace (opens in new tab). Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Fb (opens in new tab).
