A Brief History of Celebrating Thanksgiving in Space

A turkey adorns the interior of the International Space Station. (Credit: NASA) Nothing puts the concept of "thanks" in perspective like floating in a tin can, high above the world. Not only do astronauts in orbiting space labs get to dine in zero gravity, they're treated to an unrivaled view: the bright blue marble that supports and sustains us. Celebrating in space comes with some limitations, of course. The food is all freeze-dried or thermo-regulated, and forget baking a turkey in the oven. Still, space residents do the best they can preparing a special menu, inviting their foreign companions to dine with them, and even treating themselves to some football piped in from mission control.