In what some may describe as the most important microgravity experiment ever to have taken place on the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronaut Don Pettit has attempted to enter a pair of pants without lifting a finger — by floating into them.
Pettit, who is better known for his outstanding space photography than pants-based resarch, shared several videos on his social media feed over the weekend that showed him trying to answer a couple of intriguing questions regarding pants in space.
The first asked: “Is it possible to put on a pair of pants two legs at a time?” Back on terra firma, the pull of Earth’s gravity means that donning a pair of pants can be a cumbersome affair, an act rarely done with grace, and which sometimes even demands a seated position, depending on your balancing skills.
Please enable Javascript to view this content
In his first video (below), Pettit is seen floating toward his pants, steadying himself before grabbing the garment, raising both his legs, and then slipping into both trouser legs at the same time. Trying this maneuver on Earth would likely result in hospitalization, but in space, in the microgravity conditions that are present on the ISS, Pettit is able to complete the task with aplomb.
Two legs at a time! pic.twitter.com/EHDOkIBigA
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) February 21, 2025
A short while later, in response to requests from some of his social media followers, Pettit attempts to enter his pants in one single maneuver, hands free. You’ll have to watch the footage (below) to see if he manages to achieve the feat.
OK; you all asked if this was possible….. pic.twitter.com/sMmJJtQNMy
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) February 23, 2025
Pettit has been on the space station since September. For much of that time, he’s been dazzling earthlings with his remarkable photography skills, sharing sublime images of Earth and beyond. He’s also taken time out to talk about his love of photography and what it’s like to capture images from space. Maybe he’ll soon offer some insight into what it’s like to undertake wacky science research in microgravity conditions, too.