NASA astronauts share Thanksgiving message from ISS: ‘We’re thankful for zero gravity’

Four NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) sent a Thanksgiving message to Earth on Tuesday, November 25, ahead of the holiday on Thursday.

Sunita Williams started by wishing a “Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends and family who are down on Earth and everyone who is supporting us.”

Her colleagues Donald Pettit and Nick Hague then showcased some packaged food they would be eating for Thanksgiving dinner, which included Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, apples and spice, and smoked turkey.

Barry Wilmore ended the video by saying what the astronauts were grateful for.

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“There’s not many places that you can be where you can actually lay on the ceiling, and this is one of them. We’re thankful for zero gravity. It’s fantastic,” Wilmore said. “We’re grateful for our nation, that is a space-faring nation, that lets us live free, say what we think is important to say, and so many other things.”

When Wilmore and Williams launched on June 5, they were originally scheduled to only be on the ISS for a week and return on June 14, but have since had their return delayed multiple times.

Norm Knight, NASA’s director of flight operations directorate, acknowledged the hardships placed on Wilmore and Williams’s families as they wait for months for their loved ones to return home but noted that every astronaut knows the risks, which include extended stays on the space station.

ABC News contributed to this report.