Astronauts cast their ballots from space in US primary elections

Have you ever pondered the lengths to which individuals may go to fulfill their civic obligations, aided by the government? Well, a recent example involved a pair of astronauts who accomplished what might seem like an improbable feat: casting their ballots from space, literally from beyond our world.

This remarkable demonstration of civic duty was undertaken by astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, who, despite the vastness of space, were undeterred in participating in the US primary voting process. Sharing their extraterrestrial voting experience on X (formerly known as Twitter), they urged Earthbound citizens to exercise their right to vote.

Intricately managed by NASA, the space voting procedure involves astronauts completing electronic absentee ballots aboard the International Space Station. Once the vote is cast, the encrypted document embarks on a journey through space. It traverses via a tracking and data relay satellite to a ground antenna located at the White Sands Complex in New Mexico. From there, the ballot follows a cosmic route to the Mission Control Center in Houston, acting as a relay station before reaching the county clerk’s office.

This interstellar voting process highlights how modern technology and innovation can facilitate participation in democratic practices, extending even beyond the boundaries of our planet.

Jasmin Moghbeli joined NASA as an astronaut in 2017. She commanded NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission, launching to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on August 26, 2023, and successfully docking on August 27, 2023.

Loral O’Hara, selected as a member of NASA’s 22nd astronaut class in May 2017, also participated in this unique voting experience. O’Hara safely launched and docked to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz rocket on Friday, September 15, 2023.