NASA and the astronauts of SpaceX's Crew-3 mission shared a moment of silence to honor U.S. veterans this Veterans Day (Nov. 11).
Veterans Day marks the anniversary of the armistice, an agreement that was signed by the allies and Germany that ended World War I in 1918. Known as Armistice Day up until 1954, this holiday honors veterans and victims of war.
"Thanks on behalf of Endurance and SpaceX and NASA, and really the world, to all the veterans who give us the ability to do this on a daily basis," SpaceX Crew-3 mission commander and NASA astronaut Raja Chari, who joined NASA in 2017 as a U.S. Air Force Colonel select, said today from aboard the Crew Dragon vehicle the astronauts are riding to the International Space Station.
Live updates: SpaceX's Crew-3 astronaut mission for NASA
Chari is a U.S. military veteran, having served as a Colonel select in the U.S. Air Force.
The crew observed a moment of silence together to commemorate the holiday.
The Crew-3 astronauts launched on a six-month mission to the orbiting lab last night (Nov. 10) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is set to dock with the station tonight.
NASA officials, astronauts here on Earth and other folks in the space community have also shared their thoughts to commemorate the day.
"We honor the Americans who are serving or have served in the military on this #VeteransDay. We are grateful for your service and sacrifice," NASA wrote on Twitter.
We honor the Americans who are serving or have served in the military on this #VeteransDay. We are grateful for your service and sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/7DG2tA762bNovember 11, 2021
The official page for NASA's Artemis moon exploration program also weighed in, sharing a post with an image of Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad with the American flag at the Ocean of Storms, the mission's landing site on the lunar surface.
Conrad was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving as an aviator, safety officer, flight instructor and performance engineer.
Thank you, veterans 🇺🇸In this image, Apollo 12 Commander Pete Conrad holds the American flag at the Ocean of Storms landing site on November 19, 1969. @NASA_Astronauts Alan Bean and Richard Gordon joined Conrad on the Apollo 12 mission, forming an all-Navy crew. pic.twitter.com/N6zaJ05OXQNovember 11, 2021
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy also shared a few words online this Veterans Day. Melroy is a veteran, having served through Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Just Cause with over 200 combat and combat support hours logged.
This #VeteransDay we honor the extraordinary individuals who have worn our nation's uniform. Thank you, especially, to the more than 2,200 @NASA employees who have served.Today we renew a sacred commitment to show our gratitude by upholding the promises we make to veterans. pic.twitter.com/LigL9NN2EFNovember 11, 2021
Today we honor over 2,200 members of the @NASA family and the millions of veterans across the country who have served our country and made tremendous sacrifices for our nation at home and abroad. Thank you for your selflessness, tenacity and courage!November 11, 2021
NASA's astronauts on the ground are also sharing their thoughts this Veterans Day. Both NASA astronaut Bob Hines, who is slated to launch as the pilot with SpaceX's Crew-4 mission, and retired NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman have shared their thoughts online.
To all the men and women of the armed forces, past & present, astro_kjell and I along with our EVA training team salute you for your service to our nation. Happy Veteran’s Day! pic.twitter.com/ZBSyAzSNXCNovember 11, 2021
I join the nation in expressing my gratitude to our veterans and their families. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. #VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/XmZGjCv0wXNovember 11, 2021
Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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