Two American astronauts stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) are set to participate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election through a special remote voting channel.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have both decided to cast their votes and will follow a process specifically designed for astronauts to vote remotely. In 1997, the Texas legislature passed a bill allowing astronauts to vote from space.
Despite being far from traditional polling stations on Earth, Wilmore informed the ground on Friday (September 13) through NASA’s Space Connection event, saying, “This is a very important role we play as citizens in the election, and NASA makes it very easy for us to do so.”
“I submitted my voting request today,” Wilmore revealed.
American astronaut David Wolf was the first to use the outer space voting system, casting his vote through the former Soviet-operated, now defunct Mir space station.
In 2020, astronaut Kate Rubins also voted from the International Space Station during that year’s election.
Now, astronauts use a secure electronic process tailored to their unique circumstances for voting. The process is conducted through NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) infrastructure to ensure the secure transmission of sensitive data such as ballots.
Election officials from Harris County, Texas, where the two astronauts reside, are working closely with NASA to ensure the smooth running of the voting process. The astronauts will receive electronic ballots in the form of PDFs with clickable checkboxes.
Rosio Torres-Segura, a spokesperson for the Harris County Clerk’s office, told NBC News that they will first send test ballots with unique codes, and once the astronauts vote in real-time on the official ballot, they will return it, print it, and process it alongside other ballots.
As both astronauts live in Texas, they will be participating in the state’s elections, including the U.S. presidential race and the Texas Senate elections.
After the astronauts complete their electronic absentee ballots, the votes will be encrypted and transmitted through NASA’s Near Space Network. The ballots will be sent via tracking and data relay satellites from NASA to ground antennas in New Mexico, then to the Mission Control Center in Houston, before finally reaching the county clerk’s office.
Wilmore and Williams have been stranded at the International Space Station since early June 2024 due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Originally planned for an eight-day mission, they will now remain in space until February 2025, when they will return aboard a SpaceX spacecraft.
Reflecting on this unexpected extended stay, Wilmore said, “The past three months have been an extraordinary journey for us. We’ve been involved in every step of assessing the spacecraft.” He added, “Sometimes it’s been challenging. There have been some tough moments along the way.”
Despite the challenges, both astronauts have maintained a positive attitude. Veteran astronaut Williams jokingly said, “This is my happy place. I love being in space.”
She mentioned that returning to the space station was not difficult for her due to her previous experiences.
Wilmore also commented, saying, “When you push the limits again and experience things that the spacecraft has never done before, like the Starliner, you discover some different things.”
He expressed confidence in Boeing’s commitment to resolving the issues.
Though they sometimes feel emotionally down due to being away from family and friends for an extended period, the two astronauts remain focused on completing their mission.
Williams revealed that she had anxiety about the extended stay but found reassurance in the support of her family.
“In my heart, people on the ground have already made plans for my return, such as my family… and spending time with my mother,” she shared. “With the support and understanding of everyone, it makes it easier for us to focus on our space work.”
As for Wilmore, he expressed no regrets about staying in space for a longer period. “I believe we could have returned on the Starliner, but we just can’t control various situations,” he said.