The International Space Station (ISS) is a fascinating sight, especially during the festive season. Imagine gazing up at the night sky with your little ones, searching for Santa's sleigh, and instead, you spot the ISS! It's been orbiting our planet since 1998, and it's a brilliant substitute for the jolly red-suited man's magical ride.
The ISS is visible from Earth due to its massive solar panels, which reflect the Sun's rays. You don't need any fancy equipment; just your eyes and a clear view of the sky. The best times to catch a glimpse are during dawn or dusk, preferably in areas with minimal light pollution.
But here's where it gets tricky: the ISS isn't visible every night, and when it is, it's only for a few minutes when it's directly overhead. Sightings can range from several times a week to once a month, but there are plenty of opportunities to spot it before Christmas.
To help you plan, we've got a guide on how to spot the ISS (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zq89dp3), with tips on timing, location, and visibility. NASA also offers an online tool (https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/) and a downloadable app to assist you in your space-spotting endeavors.
For those in the UK, mark your calendars for a very early start on Christmas Day! The ISS will be visible at 05:56, weather permitting, for around 4 minutes. It's a unique way to begin your festive celebrations.
But what's it like on the ISS on Christmas Day? Well, it's a mix of work and celebration. In 2024, NASA described the crew's day as a blend of enjoying Earth's view, private communications with loved ones, and sharing a meal with their expedition crewmates. They also continue with experiments and station maintenance.
The ISS crew is known for sending special video messages on Christmas Day, donning red Santa hats. It's a heartwarming tradition that brings a touch of holiday cheer to space.
In 2015, British astronaut Tim Peake arrived on the ISS just before Christmas, bringing along some special dishes from home, crafted by chef Heston Blumenthal. The menu included a bacon sandwich, Thai red curry, apple crumble, and key lime pie. Peake even mentioned the possibility of a Christmas pudding making its way to the ISS on a supply mission.
In an interview before his journey, Peake shared, "Our thoughts will be with everybody on Earth enjoying Christmas, and our friends and family, of course. We'll hopefully be able to give them a call on Christmas Day."
Speaking of food, what do the ISS crew eat on Christmas Day? While NASA hasn't revealed the 2025 menu yet, previous video messages give us a glimpse. In 2016, the crew enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, chicken supreme, and gingerbread for dessert. Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli opted for tortellini, barbeque steaks, and vegetables during his 2010 mission.
Throughout the year, NASA provides a standard food menu with around 200 items, plus personal choices like "commercial, off-the-shelf" items. All food is packaged in cans or pouches and stored at ambient temperatures. The ISS doesn't have a fridge or freezer, so everything is freeze-dried or "thermostabilized" to ensure a suitable shelf life.
The first person to eat in space was Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961. During his single orbit around Earth, he squeezed beef and liver paste from a tube and enjoyed chocolate sauce for dessert.
As you and your child keep an eye out for the ISS, spare a thought for Santa. He's got a busy schedule leading up to December 25, so those "trial runs" are essential for delivering all those parcels!
To learn more about the ISS's story, watch "Once Upon a Time in Space" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002hyt5/once-upon-a-time-in-space) on BBC Two and iPlayer. For a deeper dive into what astronauts do on the ISS, check out this BBC Bitesize article (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zyq4wxs).
This article was published in December 2025, offering a festive glimpse into the world of space exploration.
