SpaceX’s Crew-3 astronauts have been having some fun on the International Space Station (ISS) ahead of their trip home later this week.
Astronaut Matthias Maurer tweeted a video of him and his fellow Crew-3 astronauts performing some carefully choreographed synchronized floating set to Johann Strauss’s famous Blue Danube Waltz.
In a tweeted video (below) of what Maurer described as the “suit fit waltz,” the astronaut commented: “I think I might miss microgravity and these antics.”
In case anyone is wondering how astronauts check their spacesuits 😆 We call this the 'suit fit waltz'. I think I might miss microgravity and these antics with @Astro_Raja, @AstroMarshburn & Kayla. #Crew3 #CosmicKiss pic.twitter.com/mbranaZm6C
— Matthias Maurer (@astro_matthias) May 2, 2022
But there was actually a good reason for the astronauts to don their suits prior to the trip home, as they need to ensure they were in perfect condition for the journey.
NASA’s Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, along with Maurer of the European Space Agency (ESA), are set to depart the International Space Station on Wednesday before splashing down in the sea off Florida the following day.
The four astronauts have spent the last six months living aboard the orbiting outpost, working on a slew of science experiments, taking part in spacewalks, answering questions from folks back on the ground, and enjoying the amazing views of Earth.
Maurer used Twitter to keep his followers up to date on his time in space. Some of his posts showed regular life aboard the station, including how astronauts get a haircut in microgravity conditions, how they stay fit, and how they get ready for bed. Another of his tweets featured a cool photo of the station’s seven-window Cupola module.
Taking over from Crew-3 is Crew-4, whose crewmembers arrived at the space station last week to begin their own six-month stay in microgravity conditions.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen ISS astronauts performing a little space boogie. Last year we saw ESA’s Thomas Pesquet doing what he described as a “spacewalk dance” that helps to purge the body of nitrogen as part of a pre-spacewalk safety procedure.
