About a month ago we learned that one of the astronauts that is stationed on ISS will still be taking the time to vote as the US election comes forth. While that might not sound like much, it is pretty mind-blowing that someone who isn’t even on this planet will still be casting in.
This astronaut has since made her vote, her name is Kate Rubins and of course, we do not know who she voted for, but she is one of several astronauts to vote from outside our home planet throughout the years. We all have the right to vote here in the US and it’s good to know that even those who are in space are able to find ways to make their votes count but of course, no one has to vote if they do not want to. Rubins cast her vote through a secure electronic voting booth that is present onboard the International Space Station itself and even posted a photo to Twitter afterward.
From the International Space Station: I voted today
— Kate Rubins pic.twitter.com/DRdjwSzXwy
— NASA Astronauts (@NASA_Astronauts) October 22, 2020
According to The New York Post astronauts gained the ability to still vote in elections like this one back in 1997 through the state of Texas but according to CNET other arrangements can be made for different states as well. Rubins also voted back in 2016 from space as well, which is to many is mind-blowing for a lot of reasons. Just because someone is working in space, doesn’t mean they may not still want to partake in such things, right?
CNET wrote as follows on this topic:
Ballots from the county where the astronaut is registered are tested on a space station training computer, then the real ballot is generated and uplinked to the ISS with crew-member-specific credentials to keep it secure. The completed ballot is electronically delivered back to Earth to be officially recorded.
“Voting in space has been possible since 1997 when a bill passed to legally allow voting from space in Texas,” NASA said in a statement. “Since then, several NASA astronauts have exercised this civic duty from orbit. As NASA works toward sending astronauts to the Moon in 2024 and eventually on to Mars, the agency plans to continue to ensure astronauts who want to vote in space are able to, no matter where in the solar system they may be.”
NASA had expected the US astronauts on the SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the ISS to join Rubins in voting from space, but their mission has been delayed until early- to mid-November, so they can now vote from Earth.
Just what do you think about all of this? If you were in space would you take the time to vote or are you uninterested at all with the concept? I for one don’t know if I would even think about politics and things of that sort if I were aboard the ISS but, am glad Rubins was able to cast her vote as everyone who is a citizen should be allowed to if they so choose.