NASA Astronauts to Cast 2024 Votes From Space: Why Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Won’t Miss the Presidential Election

[{"selector":"#anim-9143ea8a-991f-4d14-9dce-545b1a6c7f08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10368713-ff87-4a99-b577-13585a8ec1bc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b520afa7-3322-40d6-a5e9-dc0c3cb1b12c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24dc8f9e-ff07-42ea-a53a-ebf473c43dd5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a151ade4-31fc-44fe-a925-3f10c6a37906","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a72c279f-1862-4911-8373-c04f02b68b4a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The astronauts spending time in space said they plan to cast their ballots in space for the November 5 polls, irrespective of their location. Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-d12abbe5-8d2a-46b3-8aab-d4ba0c8beee5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9bc96ae5-b8a0-4434-aa8f-562711ca24bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -164.16978%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3fdabbd-8224-4236-b388-7b5f2d95d655","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2a3a490-0727-47ab-82a1-e75a1322fe76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03854506-df5c-4892-975c-f10d4f28dc20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bce634b-f457-42fc-9cc0-ed3e1cc4bd16","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c14ccbb4-97d3-4398-8c24-4af389834745","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.32164%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sunita Williams exclaimed that voting from space is “pretty cool.” She added, “It’s a very important duty that we have as citizens, and I am looking forward to being able to vote from space, which is pretty cool.” Williams spoke with the media for the first time since her Starliner’s departure from the ISS (International Space Station). Photo Source: Google Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-e25dd651-8afc-4f6b-a6d4-c5c0dae14592","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.77986%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df093729-c4e3-4973-9ee0-b1aeee2b4244","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e095057-89f7-465b-804a-5bc8b99c0045","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-536ef243-79ec-4d2f-86ea-26ce842e8a8f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3de5f98-bf7d-4e0f-945a-d0365550de80","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f016b461-7a83-4dc2-b8b2-05bd6d5465fb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Meanwhile, Butch Wilmore, her partner, added, “I submitted my request for a ballot today.” Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-4681006f-3ce0-4b3e-b283-34a1ca9ef099","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-616fc336-1555-49e0-b645-ed414645785b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -314.21753%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b06a53b3-8451-414c-adc9-01a7cb5d5a9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92873222-9040-4f53-8709-5bfe5c68617c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81ab0bc4-5551-4a38-90d8-fd525e865f9d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e52dfb05-d94f-4220-96ea-27dd0b4653a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b432a0e-bf5f-44d9-b03b-275ab909a8d7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.32164%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched into space onboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5. Photo Source: Google Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-915ed7fa-4188-4cac-8595-9a13d18bc257","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.82649%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c2f3e17-7d19-4500-9bde-93de34d653da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec480200-7eab-4f50-8723-bc3842f9ca2c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edd6091b-b6c8-4725-b76f-b6d0912ec359","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-759ce2d5-0ef3-470f-b97d-e5b253af75a6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8cbaa4e-6ef2-4810-b6d7-8524b3d8d1ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] To ensure the safety of the astronauts on the faulty Starliner, NASA decided to bring the spacecraft back without its crew on September 6, 2024. Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-5bc2f6a3-0c7a-4da1-8a2e-09b71e164c12","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e6e789a-e834-4ce7-8f75-7b86011d7047","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -417.46036%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e686724b-ecbd-432c-ab3d-f8d5df81f96a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06298c1e-a48b-4b8a-b1d6-164e5d80fbc7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ffb365a-5789-4fd5-8ef5-8bf383f4b780","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a05ebc40-0a2c-4ae3-aaec-a57bd1b906e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6eb00368-c842-4879-9573-585806e34ef3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.32164%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] According to the Texas Legislature, a bill passed in 1997 allowed NASA astronauts to vote from space. Photo Source: Google Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-2366bd01-0461-45c8-b4b2-00083b7488a9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.46540%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22ea884f-78b6-4bff-9018-f83ed823fe1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-742f6e1f-80dc-40ae-92a6-ca6e74afc9b7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a2a05fc-9d88-43e5-9167-5b49486f8cf8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fca0522-3cea-4b51-bcb5-223a3c2f8401","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ce5aed9-f128-4b1f-af9a-2dae30374ac2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In that year, NASA astronaut David Wolf became the first American to vote from space on the Mir Space Station. Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-25563225-cf12-4b5b-b8c2-3bf894ba9d9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1951a1e3-3570-464a-81d9-20b297d1d79f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -423.51042%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1300,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e266158-7985-4854-bef9-929378f00fb2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c165a90f-7150-4d9d-8f0b-f4d5ccf142ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-522ef194-9c2d-434f-a6d7-31dc1a8f0caf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71cd33d6-200f-4a6a-b2a2-f94eab8c5d7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-890a0bd7-2e89-43ae-baf2-00f5d9a18c64","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.32164%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] NASA explains that voting from space starts with a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA). Photo Source: Google Photo Source: Google

[{"selector":"#anim-10b02c4d-a3d5-4740-8970-d88c0b2fe79a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eeef93a6-171d-40bc-8828-9f700df5c9d1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-553af184-c094-419b-b3a7-16bdd073ac55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6ccabbf5-c3f8-488f-b487-a07035544dc8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -221.74939%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e935064-dd88-43de-b08d-de8a368d8ba8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97f27fac-8b8e-40c2-8005-5e5cc0ff3af6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] NEXT STORY Jared Isaacman’s Historic Spacewalk at 738km: The Highest-Ever Civilian Mission Surpasses the ISS – What Comes Next? Learn more