Four NASA astronauts were rushed to hospital on return to Earth after spending over 200 days on The International Space Station.

The history of space voting starts in 1996 when astronaut John Blaha couldn’t physically vote in that year’s presidential race between President Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. Blaha was stationed aboard the now-defunct Russian Mir Space Station, a predecessor to the International Space Station.

Astronauts have voted from the space station since 1997 and have cast ballots in nearly every U.S. presidential election since 2004.

Despite being in orbit, American astronauts can vote in the election thanks to a secure space-based voting process. View on euronews

How do astronauts aboard the International Space Station vote? NASA astronauts up in space can vote through an absentee ballot or early voting in coordination with the county clerk's office where they live.

Astronauts stranded on the International Space Station will be able to vote in the US election. The crew - including two stuck there after the Boeing Starliner malfunctioned - will beam their votes back to Earth thanks to a high-tech encrypted system.

Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will be able to vote in the U.S. election. The crew – including two stuck there after the Boeing Starliner malfunctioned – will beam their votes back to Earth thanks to a high-tech encrypted system.