Skip to main content

Watch SpaceX astronauts perform a ‘waltz’ in microgravity conditions

SpaceX’s Crew-3 astronauts have been having some fun on the International Space Station (ISS) ahead of their trip home later this week.

Astronaut Matthias Maurer tweeted a video of him and his fellow Crew-3 astronauts performing some carefully choreographed synchronized floating set to Johann Strauss’s famous Blue Danube Waltz.

In a tweeted video (below) of what Maurer described as the “suit fit waltz,” the astronaut commented: “I think I might miss microgravity and these antics.”

In case anyone is wondering how astronauts check their spacesuits 😆 We call this the 'suit fit waltz'. I think I might miss microgravity and these antics with @Astro_Raja, @AstroMarshburn & Kayla. #Crew3 #CosmicKiss pic.twitter.com/mbranaZm6C

— Matthias Maurer (@astro_matthias) May 2, 2022

But there was actually a good reason for the astronauts to don their suits prior to the trip home, as they need to ensure they were in perfect condition for the journey.

NASA’s Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, along with Maurer of the European Space Agency (ESA), are set to depart the International Space Station on Wednesday before splashing down in the sea off Florida the following day.

The four astronauts have spent the last six months living aboard the orbiting outpost, working on a slew of science experiments, taking part in spacewalks, answering questions from folks back on the ground, and enjoying the amazing views of Earth.

Maurer used Twitter to keep his followers up to date on his time in space. Some of his posts showed regular life aboard the station, including how astronauts get a haircut in microgravity conditions, how they stay fit, and how they get ready for bed. Another of his tweets featured a cool photo of the station’s seven-window Cupola module.

Taking over from Crew-3 is Crew-4, whose crewmembers arrived at the space station last week to begin their own six-month stay in microgravity conditions.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen ISS astronauts performing a little space boogie. Last year we saw ESA’s Thomas Pesquet doing what he described as a “spacewalk dance” that helps to purge the body of nitrogen as part of a pre-spacewalk safety procedure.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Watch SpaceX’s cinematic video previewing Starship megarocket test
The world's most powerful rocket on the launchpad.

After a long wait, SpaceX has finally received permission to launch the third test flight of the Starship, the most powerful rocket ever to have flown.

This means that SpaceX can proceed with its originally stated plan to launch the Starship -- comprising the first-stage Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft -- on Thursday, March 14. Digital Trends has all the information you need to watch a live stream of what promises to be a spectacular event.

Read more
How to watch SpaceX launch the third flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday
Starship stacked

SpaceX has announced when it will hold the next test of its Starship rocket. Itwill be the third test flight of the vehicle to date. The launch aims to send the vehicle, consisting of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft, on a new trajectory, with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX will be live-streaming the launch, and we have the details on how to watch below.

Read more
How to watch homecoming SpaceX astronauts fly overhead on Tuesday
SpaceX's Crew-6 reentering Earth's atmosphere.

SpaceX’s Crew-7 astronauts undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 11:20 a.m. ET on Monday after a six-and-a-half-month stay aboard the orbital outpost.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov are expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico at around 5:50 a.m. ET on Tuesday morning. If the skies are clear, folks in more than a dozen states will be able to witness the crew’s homecoming as the capsule flies overhead.

Read more