A crewed rocket launch on Thanksgiving morning is not just another holiday event—it is a powerful reminder that, while most people are carving turkeys, others are literally leaving the planet. And this is the part most people miss: you can follow almost every key moment of this mission live, from liftoff to hatch opening, if you are willing to start your day a little earlier than usual.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams is set to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside two Russian cosmonauts aboard a Soyuz spacecraft on Thanksgiving morning. The mission will lift off in the early hours, so space enthusiasts in North America will need to be up before dawn if they want to catch the live coverage from the very beginning. Think of it as swapping the traditional Thanksgiving parade for a real-time rocket launch.
If the flight proceeds as scheduled, the Soyuz will follow a fast-track route to the ISS, arriving just a bit more than three hours after leaving Earth. The crew’s spacecraft is expected to dock with the station’s Rassvet module at around 7:38 a.m. Eastern Time (1238 GMT), a timetable that gives viewers a chance to watch docking over breakfast instead of late at night. NASA plans to broadcast this crucial phase of the mission starting at 6:45 a.m. Eastern (1145 GMT), giving audiences time to catch the approach and docking sequence rather than just the final moments.
Once the Soyuz is firmly attached to the ISS, there is still plenty to see. The plan calls for the hatches between the Soyuz and the orbiting laboratory to swing open at approximately 10:10 a.m. Eastern (1510 GMT), after all the usual safety checks and pressure equalization steps are complete. Coverage of the hatch opening and the subsequent welcome ceremony—where the new arrivals float into the station and greet the current crew—is expected to begin at 9:50 a.m. Eastern (1450 GMT). For many viewers, this part is especially emotional, because it turns an abstract launch into a very human moment of reunion and teamwork in space.
This Thanksgiving mission is particularly special because it marks the first trip to orbit for both Chris Williams and his crewmate Mikaev. First flights are major milestones in any astronaut’s career, often representing the culmination of years of training, simulations, and physical preparation. Their colleague Kud-Sverchkov brings prior experience to the team, having previously lived and worked on the ISS from October 2020 through April 2021, which gives the crew a valuable mix of fresh perspective and proven on-orbit know-how.
During this mission, the three spacefarers are scheduled to live aboard the ISS for about eight months, serving as members of Expedition 73 and Expedition 74. That length of stay is long enough for them to become deeply integrated into station life, from daily maintenance tasks and emergency drills to the rhythms of scientific work and exercise. For viewers, it also means this Thanksgiving launch is just the beginning of a long story that will unfold through regular mission updates, science reports, and glimpses of life in microgravity.
The work planned for Williams is a good example of how every astronaut becomes both a resident and a researcher during their time in orbit. NASA has explained that while on the station, he will conduct a variety of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations designed to push human space exploration forward while also offering benefits back on Earth. In practice, this means he may spend one day checking how new hardware behaves in weightlessness and another day helping to run experiments that could influence medicine, materials science, or energy technologies.
One high-profile task on his schedule is helping to install and test a new modular workout system intended for long-duration missions. On the surface, that might sound like just another space treadmill, but it is actually a critical part of keeping astronauts healthy on journeys that last many months or even years. For example, improved exercise systems can help reduce bone and muscle loss, which is essential if humanity wants to send crews on lengthy deep-space trips, such as to Mars. But here’s where it gets controversial: should agencies invest heavily in advanced exercise equipment for small crews, or focus more on medical and pharmaceutical solutions to the same health problems?
Williams will also support experiments aimed at improving the efficiency of cryogenic fuels—super-cold propellants that power many rockets and advanced propulsion systems. More efficient handling of these fuels could make launches cheaper and enable spacecraft to travel farther with less mass, which is a big deal for future exploration plans and commercial missions alike. In addition, he will work on growing semiconductor crystals in microgravity, a process that can reveal how these materials form when not influenced by Earth’s gravity; in some cases, this can lead to higher-quality crystals that may be used to develop better electronic components.
Another critical part of his mission will be assisting NASA in refining new re-entry safety protocols designed to better protect crews as they return through Earth’s atmosphere. Re-entry is one of the most dangerous phases of any spaceflight, and even small improvements in procedures, materials, or real-time monitoring can have a large impact on overall risk. And this is the part most people miss: the glamorous footage of launches often overshadows the painstaking work on landing safety, even though a safe return is what ultimately closes the loop on a successful mission.
This Thanksgiving launch also occurs against a broader backdrop of intense activity in low Earth orbit. It will be the second mission in just three days headed toward a crewed station environment close to Earth. Earlier in the week, on Monday night (Nov. 24), China launched an uncrewed Shenzhou capsule intended to serve as a return vehicle for the three taikonauts currently living aboard the Tiangong space station. That capsule’s arrival effectively restores their “lifeboat,” which is a critical safety requirement for any long-duration crewed mission.
For about 10 days prior to the new capsule’s launch, the Tiangong crew did not have a dedicated escape vehicle docked to the station, because their original spacecraft had already ferried a previous group of astronauts safely back to Earth. That earlier Shenzhou vehicle sustained damage from a space-debris impact, prompting China to send those astronauts home earlier than originally expected. This situation highlights a growing concern: as Earth orbit becomes more crowded, collisions with space debris will likely become more frequent, raising difficult questions about how to balance scientific and commercial ambitions with long-term safety.
This raises a bold and potentially divisive question: as more nations and private companies send hardware and people into low Earth orbit, are we moving fast enough to manage space junk and ensure reliable lifeboats for every crew? Some argue that the current system of debris tracking and avoidance maneuvers is adequate, while others believe stricter rules and more aggressive cleanup technologies are urgently needed. The contrasting approaches of different space agencies—such as NASA, Roscosmos, and the China National Space Administration—could spark ongoing debates about responsibility and risk in shared orbital space.
The story of this mission was reported by Michael Wall, a Senior Space Writer at Space.com who has been covering space topics since 2010. His primary beats include exoplanets, human spaceflight, and military space activities, but he also occasionally writes about space-related art and culture. That blend of technical expertise and broader interest helps make complex missions like this more understandable and engaging for the general public.
Wall’s background is deeply rooted in science. Before becoming a full-time science writer, he worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist, which means he has hands-on experience studying living systems in challenging environments. He holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney in Australia, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. For readers who want to keep up with his latest work, he shares updates and insights on social media, including on Twitter.
So here’s the big question for you: does scheduling a crewed launch on a major holiday like Thanksgiving inspire more public interest and global unity, or does it feel like space agencies are turning serious exploration into a media event? And when it comes to issues like space debris, emergency lifeboats, and long-duration human missions, do you think the world is taking enough precautions—or are we underestimating the risks in our rush to expand human presence in orbit? Share where you stand in the comments: do you mostly celebrate the excitement of these missions, or do you see more to worry about than most people admit?
