In America, we take care of our astronauts. So when our astronauts want to watch America’s game, they get to watch America’s game. Tonight, over 100 million viewers are expected to tune in to watch the action between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, and among that enormous audience will be members of the International Space Station crew. In fact, the entire ISS presence will be granted free time during the game so they can fully enjoy all the action, and to be honest, a Super Bowl party in space sounds like the best kind of party.
In an email interview with Space.com, NASA spokesman Dan Huot explained, “Crew will be able to watch in real time; it will be sent up as usual for live events from Mission Control Houston. It’s a nominal off-duty Sunday for the entire crew, so no additional tasks for them aside from exercise.”
Happily, this is by no means the only form of entertainment astronauts have indulged in — last year, the team tuned in to Super Bowl 49, and they also watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it was first released. And their viewing experience is every bit as high-tech as you’d expect it to be. With their high definition projector and 65-inch screen, they may even have a better time watching movies and TV than some of us here on Earth.
Outside of cinema, astronauts are also invited to keep themselves entertained with a myriad of other activities. From books to musical instruments to photography, ISS astronauts maintain a number of enviable hobbies. And of course, they can use social media, send emails, and otherwise communicate with us terrestrial beings.
So get ready for the game tonight, earthbound friends. Our astronauts floating miles above the Earth are prepared, so you’ve no excuse not to be.
