News

Actions

US astronaut will vote from orbit if homecoming is delayed

Posted

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - The lone American in orbit will end up voting for president from the International Space Station, if her homecoming is delayed.

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins said Thursday that she doesn't know yet whether she'll return to Earth in late October as planned. The Russians have delayed the next crew launch for technical reasons. It was supposed to take place Friday, but it's off for at least a month.

Rubins and her two crewmates - a Russian and Japanese - can't come home until the next crew arrives. NASA likes to have an overlap of several days, if not more.

Rubins told The Associated Press she requested an absentee ballot before she rocketed away in July, just in case. When she's not in space, home is Houston, Texas.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)