NASA astronaut Sunita Williams celebrated the New Year in a special way from the International Space Station (ISS) by watching 16 sunrises in one day!

The official X account of the ISS shared incredible images of sunrises witnessed from the orbital outpost over the years. “As 2024 comes to a close today, the Exp 72 crew will see 16 sunrises and sunsets while soaring into the New Year. Seen here are several sunsets pictured over the years from the orbital outpost,” the post read.

How does the ISS see 16 sunrises in a day?

While it may seem impossible to experience multiple sunrises in one day, science explains how it happens on the ISS.

The ISS orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) and travels at an average speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 miles per hour). This rapid speed allows the space station to complete one orbit every 90 minutes, making it possible to witness over 15.5 sunrises daily.

For Sunita Williams and her fellow crew members, this means welcoming the New Year with breathtaking views of the Earth bathed in sunlight repeatedly throughout the day.

Why is Sunita Williams on the ISS?

Sunita Williams, who began her mission on June 5 with astronaut Butch Wilmore aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, has seen her stay unexpectedly extended because of technical issues.

Originally, the return to Earth was scheduled for an eight-day mission, but their return was delayed after the spacecraft faced technical challenges, leaving it unfit for the journey back. While their return was initially scheduled for February 2025, NASA has now pushed it back further to late March 2025.

According to the agency, Williams and Wilmore will join the astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov when the Crew-10 mission arrives at the ISS.

For Sunita Williams, the dawn of 2025 with 16 sunrises is a glorious experience, despite the difficulties she has to endure in an extended mission.