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---
title: See What Astronauts on the Space Station Will Eat for Thanksgiving
description: Smoked turkey with all the freeze-dried fixings
canonical: https://time.com/3607861/astronauts-thanksgiving-dinner-space-iss-photos/
author: Maya Rhodan
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article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2014-11-26T18:30:31.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:06:53.120Z
article:section: Science
og:title: See What Astronauts on the Space Station Will Eat for Thanksgiving
og:description: Smoked turkey with all the freeze-dried fixings
og:url: https://time.com/3607861/astronauts-thanksgiving-dinner-space-iss-photos/
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og:image:width: 1280
og:image:height: 720
og:image:alt: NASA astronaut and Expedition 42 commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore delivers a special Thanksgiving message from the International Space Station
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: See What Astronauts on the Space Station Will Eat for Thanksgiving
twitter:description: Smoked turkey with all the freeze-dried fixings
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd64b52f193f83247/69876b4a55a8595b25a845cf/thanksgiving-space-station-01.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=1200&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd64b52f193f83247/69876b4a55a8595b25a845cf/thanksgiving-space-station-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# See What Astronauts Eat for Thanksgiving Dinner in Space

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by 

[Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/)


## Maya Rhodan


Nov 26, 2014 6:30 PM UTC

![NASA astronaut and Expedition 42 commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore delivers a special Thanksgiving message from the International Space Station](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd64b52f193f83247/69876b4a55a8595b25a845cf/thanksgiving-space-station-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

NASA astronaut and Expedition 42 commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore delivers a special Thanksgiving message from the International Space Station

NASA astronaut and Expedition 42 commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore delivers a special Thanksgiving message from the International Space Station NASA

by 

[Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/)


## Maya Rhodan


Nov 26, 2014 6:30 PM UTC

They may be in orbit 260 miles above Earth, but that doesn’t mean the astronauts aboard the [International Space Station](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2014/11/24/high-flying-turkey-on-station-crews-thanksgiving-menu/) won’t enjoy some traditional Thanksgiving fare to celebrate on Thursday. Though their meal may look a little different than what your family has planned.

> [](https://twitter.com/NASA%5FAstronauts/status/537625647053410304)

The smoked turkey, corn-bread dressing, green beans, and candied yams that these space explorers will eat have been irradiated, thermostabilized, or freeze-dried. Regardless, the six astronauts on board—Americans Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts, Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov, Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Russia’s Roscosmos and Italian Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency— are looking forward to their holiday feast. In a video message, Commander Butch Wilmore also shared what he’s most thankful for this holiday: our troops.

“People around the globe that are doing things day in and day out that make a difference for freedom,” Wilmore said. “I’m thankful for those people. I’m thankful for their families.”

### PHOTOS: 20 Breathtaking Images of Earth From Space

![Aleppo, Syria](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf324478cc379650b/6986838c55a85961efa7f7ff/aleppo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Aleppo, Syria, May 26, 2013 – The Citadel of Aleppo – medieval fortified palace DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Belfast, Northern Ireland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b08e74806bc8846/6986838df983e7fd7b04c8a2/belfast.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Belfast, Northern Ireland, Nov. 3, 2013 – “Wish,” a large-scale art work DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Colorado River](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt69761add67bf36bc/6986838d1eebf740f436f998/colorado.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Utah, USA, April 22, 2013 – Colorado River DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Cuanza River, Angola](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc57421cab3f741c0/6986838c35ba6f013ec00bbc/angola.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Cuanza River, Angola, April 28, 2013 – Cambambe Dam DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Doha, Qatar](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltca9d37689bf9d6f8/6986838a169ab0222f2780cb/qatar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Doha, Qatar, March 4, 2013 – Artificial island spanning nearly four million sq meters. DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Dunalley, Australia](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8ca4a1f8fd631802/6986838dd0b6f2f1313030a7/dunalley-fires.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Dunalley, Australia, Jan. 6, 2013 – fires, false color image (red = healthy vegetation) DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Great Barrier Reef](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1f90e8a7e13fb206/6986838e169ab048912780d7/great-barrier-reef.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Australia, April 22, 2013 – Great Barrier Reef DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Gwadar coast, Pakistan](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd02ee2d695ebdd8b/6986838ae53aba4d1c4d140d/pakistan.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Gwadar coast, Pakistan Sept. 29, 2013 – new island created by earthquake in Pakistan DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Croatia](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e35bf30bbbb068e/6986838e810bbb9ec3c90412/heart-island.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Croatia, Feb. 16, 2013 – Galešnjak (Island of Love) DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Hong Kong, China](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4e8ef4c9a9e0011/6986838ff983e7620804c8a6/hong-kong.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Hong Kong, China May 9, 2013 – giant rubber duck DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Manam Volcano](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9781f5ac0617958/6986838fcd804d502dcc984c/manam-volcano.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, March 22, 2013 – Manam Volcano DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Namib Desert, Namibia](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbc34f4ec61828919/6986838fcd6848f6ab093664/namibia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Namib Desert, Namibia, May 13, 2013 – Sossusvlie area DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Mount Vesuvius](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte1f0dff03e5956e9/6986838f169ab000ef2780db/mt-vesuvius.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Naples, Italy, Feb. 19 2013 – Mount Vesuvius DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Niger](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5e6ebfe6f09bd6b/69868390f983e76c7504c8aa/niger.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Niger, Feb. 13, 2013 – Arlit Uranium Mine DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Schooner Cays, Bahamas](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte70fa9e396c9a9d4/6986838b06f2c1314a32daa1/schooner-cays.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Schooner Cays, Bahamas, May 26, 2013 DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Sochi, Russia](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfa9db2ea38c63838/6986838bf983e7033504c89e/sochi.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Sochi, Russia, March 17, 2013 – Site of 2014 winter Olympics DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Near the city of Sur, Oman](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt000fa7cf285c85a1/6986838a3bc999fde11a21e2/oman.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Near the city of Sur, Oman, Feb. 13, 2013 – massive “green tide” DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Valencia, Spain](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt25799dc3f0d1c4ba/6986838bcd804d0767cc983f/valencia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Valencia, Spain, July 19, 2013 – Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and Gulliver Park with an enormous fiberglass model of Lemuel Gulliver trapped DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

![Versailles, France](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9565c24f0b504955/6986838ce53aba64084d1411/versailles.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Versailles, France, Aug. 20, 2013 – Palace of Versailles DigitalGlobe—Getty Images


![Xi'an, China](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt754e13a5a061ba9d/6986838ccd804d8577cc9847/xian.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Xi'an, China, Sept. 24, 2013 – Shiyuan Park DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

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