As the people of Earth rang in the new year with parties and fireworks, five astronauts celebrated the dawn of 2010 in the only way they could â€" locked inside a space station 220 miles above the planet.

NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, commander of the International Space Station, said New Year's Day is a unique time of celebration for his multi-cultural crew, which is made up of two Americans, two Russians and a Japanese astronaut. Space station astronauts get eight holidays a year to take time off, often choosing days from each of the countries represented on their crew.

"Of course, that provides a great opportunity to get another glimpse into the different cultures and traditions among us," Williams said in a New Year's Day message. "New Year's Day also provides that glimpse into the traditions of others but is unique in that everybody represented on board celebrates it at home. It is a common holiday among all the crewmembers."

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