Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA, Flight Engineer Tim Kopra of NASA and Flight Engineer Tim Peake of the European Space Agency offered their thoughts on being in orbit away from home during the Christmas holidays and what Christmas means to them in a message.

Kelly is nearing the completion of the ninth month of a year-long mission on the orbital laboratory, while Kopra and Peake arrived on December 15 to begin a six-month mission on the complex. Peake, father of two sons, took to Twitter to send the season’s greetings from space he had never thought he would be able to do.

“Never thought I would send a #Christmas card such as this one! Season’s greetings from space,” Peake tweeted, adding: “Hope you’re all having a wonderful Christmas eve down there. You’re looking good from up here! #Principia.”

Earlier this week, Peake tried calling his parents from space, but only got through to their answering machine. He cheerfully greeted his parents in the message, “This is just your son calling from the International Space Station… I’m sorry you’re not in.” He then sent them a Christmas greeting from the space.

Peake is a former major in the army and the first Briton to join the ISS crew, employed by the European Space Agency. He also tweeted a few pictures of Earth taken from the space.

“Watching the Earth slip into the shadow of night is truly mesmerizing! #Principia,” Peake @astro_timpeake tweeted.

Peake also retweeted an unusual view of the launch of the #SoyuzTMA19M, taken by an airline pilot flying from Seoul to Frankfurt!

Tim thanked the UK Prime Minister who wished him good luck and said the nation felt proud for him.

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