Expedition 73 Astronauts Recognize Independence Day - Thursday, July 3, 2025

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 Flight Engineers Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Jonny Kim of NASA recorded a message for the nation’s celebration of its 249th birthday from their orbital vantage point 250 miles above Earth. Ayers and McClain launched to the station in March aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket nearly a month before Kim launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Join NASA as we go forward to the Moon and on to Mars -- discover the latest on Earth, the Solar System and beyond with a weekly update in your inbox. Subscribe at: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

What is said in the film

Happy Fourth of July from the Expedition 73 crew currently aboard the International Space Station. We are orbiting 250 miles above you, orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes, and we wanted to take this opportunity to wish a happy Fourth of July to everybody and tell you a little bit about what this holiday means each one of us. I'm NASA Astronaut Anne McClain and for me the Fourth of July represents the responsibilities that we each have. To whom much is given, much is expected. Our four fathers gave us the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and every generation must protect that for future generations.

I'm NASA astronaut Nicole Ayers and happy Fourth of July to all of you. This is a special holiday for me, it just reminds us of the freedom that we get to enjoy and that we have enjoyed for so many years. And like Anne said, protecting that freedom is important to all of us here as military officers, but also NASA astronauts, and we are proud to serve our country both on Earth and in space. And I'm NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and when I think of the Fourth of July, our American independence, it's deep day of reflection for me, it's about remembering so many of our important American ideals of freedom and democracy and unity, and it's about honoring those who came before us who gave so much thought and sacrifice to be part of something greater than themselves, and I just want to say message to all of our loved ones, we couldn't do this mission without your love and support, and to those following our mission, the spirit of exploration, just like the spirit of freedom, democracy is what has made our country so great. goodbye from the International Space Station.

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