Even the International Space Station's astronauts are blowing off work to watch the World Cup

As if sporting rivalries stop at the edges of Earth's atmosphere.

NASA's Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson, along with German astronaut Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, decided a friendly wager would really send today's World Cup game between the two countries out of this world.

"If the U.S. wins, these guys are going to draw a little U.S. flag on my head," Gerst said. "But I think if Germany wins, these guys should have to shave their heads. It's going to be fun."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

The astronauts kept an eye on the score via a jerry-rigged laptop (check it out, below). It's basically what you're doing at work, except, you know, without gravity.

UPDATE: While the U.S. lost to Germany, 1-0, the Americans still advance thanks to Portugal's victory over Ghana. Wiseman and Swanson can consider that the upside if Gerst decides to collect on his bet and busts out the clippers.