World Cup fever hits the ISS: Astronauts show off their microgravity football skills in SPACE

  • Astronauts performed bicycle kicks and spins while trying to kick a ball
  • They also sent a good luck message to teams competing in World Cup
  • Their countries, Germany and U.S, will play against each other on June 26
  • Nasa said astronauts will be able to watch match 230 miles above Earth

By Ellie Zolfagharifard

Published: 12:57 EST, 12 June 2014 | Updated: 13:03 EST, 12 June 2014

As Brazil gears up for the World Cup this evening, 230 miles above Earth, astronauts are having their own microgravity kick-about.

U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson, and German astronaut Alexander Gerst, will be watching the action from aboard the International Space Station.

And to celebrate the opening ceremony, the three astronauts showed off their microgravity football skills by performing impressive bicycle kicks, spins and somersaults while kicking a ball.

Scroll down for video 

Astronaut Steve Swanson attempts to kick the ball, but Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst is able to get to it before Swanson has the chance

The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall, resulting in several amusing, slow-motion attempts at tackling their crewmates.

The astronaut also sent down a special message to all the players and teams as they compete in World Cup 2014 which kicks off in Sao Paulo today and finishes on July 13.

From left, Expedition 40 Commander Steve Swanson and Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst and Reid Wiseman wish football fans and the World Cup 2014 'peaceful games'

From left, Expedition 40 Commander Steve Swanson and Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst and Reid Wiseman wish football fans and the World Cup 2014 'peaceful games'

The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall, resulting in several amusing, slow-motion attempts at kicking the ball

The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall, resulting in several amusing, slow-motion attempts at kicking the ball

Gerst said: ‘We want to wish all the teams and fans on the ground and in Brazil a great World Cup Have fun and have peaceful games. May the best win and viel Glück.’

The astronauts have trained for years to work together as a unified crew, but the U.S. astronauts and their German crewmate are feeling a little friendly competition.

MICROGRAVITY ON THE ISS

Many people think gravity doesn't exist in space.

However, typical orbital altitudes for human spaceflight vary between 120 - 360 miles above Earth's surface. 

The gravitational field is still quite strong in these regions, since this is only about 1.8 percent the distance to the moon. 

Earth's gravitational field at about 250 miles 0 about the distance of the ISS - is 88.8 percent of its strength at the surface.

The condition of microgravity comes about whenever an object is in free fall. Objects in a state of free fall or orbit are said to be weightless. The object's mass is the same, but it would register '0' on a scale 

Their home countries will play against each other for a chance to advance out of Group G of the World Cup matches.

USA and Germany face off on June 26 at Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil.

This isn’t the first time a sporting event has been broadcast in space. The Super Bowl XLVIII was recently viewed aboard the ISS with Nasa astronauts supporting the Denver Broncos.

While the crew members of the ISS are unable to watch the World Cup games live, Nasa said it will upload the matches shortly after they are broadcast on terrestrial TV.

Reid Wiseman, of Nasa, and Alexander Gerst, of the European Space Agency, arrived at the space station on May 28 as part of the Expedition 40/41 crew.

They are scheduled to spend the next several months living and working in space until they return to Earth in November 2014.

Steven Swanson arrived as part of the Expedition 39/40 crew on March 25 and is expected to return home in September 2014.

The astronauts have trained for years to work together as a unified crew, but the U.S. astronauts (pictured) and their German crewmate are feeling a little friendly competition

The astronauts have trained for years to work together as a unified crew, but the U.S. astronauts (pictured) and their German crewmate are feeling a little friendly competition

The astronaut's sent down a special message to all the players and teams as they compete in World Cup 2014 which kicks off in Sao Paulo today and finishes on July 13. Pictured is a Brazilian fan at the opening ceremony

The astronaut's sent down a special message to all the players and teams as they compete in World Cup 2014 which kicks off in Sao Paulo today and finishes on July 13. Pictured is a Brazilian fan at the opening ceremony

The International Space Station's length and width is about the size of a football field. While the crew members of the ISS are unable to watch the World Cup games live, Nasa said it will upload the matches shortly after they broadcast on terrestrial TV

The International Space Station's length and width is about the size of a football field. While the crew members of the ISS are unable to watch the World Cup games live, Nasa said it will upload the matches shortly after they broadcast on terrestrial TV

 

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"The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall," Stupid DM staff, they are NOT in freefall. They are in space, it is due to lack of gravity. That is like saying there is no oxygen in space because astronauts hold thier breath¿ "Freefall" is used on training missions as a way to SIMULATE anti- gravity whilst in the earths gravitational field.

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Gravity exists everywhere in the Universe. That is what hold galaxies together. "Anti-gravity" is pure Science Fiction

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A question for bob: If there is no gravity at the ISS, how come the moon orbits the earth? Think about it. You might realise why your statement is wrong.

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From Sputnik one to the ISS. Saturn V and the Shuttles best. There's only one team that stands the test, Engerland,Engerland. Higher in orbit than all the rest.

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If Nasa truly existed, they would have a website. Where is it? (nasa.gov is a web address, not the site)

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I offer a reward to anyone that can prove to me that "Nasa" actually exists. Direct us their official website or some Official document that has Nasa at the top of it. I am NOT looking for a web address that says "nasa.gov. That is for the Official NASA website. Here is your chance to prove to the world that Nasa exists.

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No offers because everyone knows.....There is no "Nasa". That is just a lazy invention of the British Press designed to show it's readers that the letters are pronounced as a word.

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that is not a football that is a soccer ball

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Correct. Only be a "football" if the crew of ISS were English.

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haha funny, where in the hell did they even get a football

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