New 'Stars Wars' Movie to be Screened in Space as Astronauts Blast Off to the ISS

First Posted: Dec 15, 2015 11:40 AM EST

What's cooler than watching Star Wars on Earth? That would be watching it in space, of course. The astronauts that are journeying to the International Space Station today will have the opportunity to watch the latest movie while in orbit.

Tim Peake, the UK's first official astronaut, along with U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko blasted into space aboard the Soyuz rocket today. The docking is expected to take place at 17:24 GMT, though the three will have to wait before the hatches are opened and they're actually let inside the ISS.

Before they enter the ISS, the astronauts will perform a careful sequence of pressurizing the docking modules. The entire time, they will watch their instruments for any air leaks. Once they're certain, they'll begin to open the hatches and then the astronauts aboard the ISS will let them inside.

This mission to the ISS comes just days before the official release of Star Wars: The Force awakens. In fact, one Twitter user, Christ Eastabrook, make a small comment about how Peake must be upset that he gets to go to space while missing Star Wars. Peake replied that the ISS has the movie waiting for them up there.

The only thing left is for the three to actually board the ISS.

Saturn's Moons Captured in Stunning View by NASA's Cassini Spacecraft

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).

See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone

TagsStar Wars, space, international space station, Astronaut, Astronauts, ISS, Rocket