(NEW YORK) — Leaving Earth just days before the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens seemed like cruel and unusual punishment for a trio of astronauts who are arriving Tuesday at the International Space Station. But astronaut Tim Peake said they won’t be missing out on the film.
When someone on Twitter said the British astronaut must be “gutted” to be leaving Earth days before the long-awaited film hits theaters, Peake tweeted a reply that has space enthusiasts and Star Wars fans everywhere feeling a little envious.
.@ChrisEastabrook We have a projector & screen onboard & I'm told that @starwars will be waiting for us up there…what a place to watch it!
— Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) December 12, 2015
Peake blasted off Tuesday morning on baord the Soyuz rocket, alongside U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra and veteran Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. They are expected to dock at the International Space Station around 12:24 p.m. ET.
It’s Peake’s first trip to space. He’ll also earn the distinction of being the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station. This will mark Malenchenko’s fourth trip to space. Kopra, the American, served at the space station as a flight engineer during Expedition 20.
While in orbit, the astronauts, who will be a part of Expedition 46, will work on various science experiments benefiting life on Earth and others that could have an impact on future long-haul missions in space.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is produced by Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of Disney, which is the parent company of ABC News.
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