Space football fever: NASA astronauts lose hair in World Cup bet (VIDEO)

Two American astronauts had to be shaved bald right up there in the orbit, after their World Cup team lost to Germany. Yes - the pair placed a wrong bet on the match!

World Cup fever has gone extra-terrestrial and turned the International Space Station (ISS) into a barber’s shop after Germany beat the US 1-0 on Thursday.

For two members of the space mission - NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson - the match result meant they lost a bet to their German crewmate Alexander Gerst and had to have their hair shaved off.

If the US team had won, Gerst would have had a US flag drawn on his already bald head, according to the wager.

Video of the Americans receiving their new haircuts appeared on the ISS YouTube feed on Friday. To perform the operation in zero gravity - without having the hair flying all over the station - Gerst uses a special electric hair trimmer with a vacuum attached to it.

The video also runs a commentary of someone from NASA's Mission Control in Houston.

"Our condolences on your loss today for Steve and Reid," a voice says. "Flight wanted to point out that bald is more aerodynamic when flying."

Judging by online posts, the US astronauts appear not to mind the way they now look.

“It was nice to wake up this morning and not worry about my hair. There isn’t any,” Reid Wiseman said on Twitter.

Good game Germany! Thanks for the shave @astro_alex#worldcuppic.twitter.com/mJ0upYT87c

— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) June 26, 2014

“Good to know I can work as a barber after flight!” was Gerst’s comment.

Mission erfüllt. Vielen Dank @DFB_Team & @ussoccer für einen spaßigen Abend auf der Raumstation! #USAGER@astro_reidpic.twitter.com/qNmBJanJ9i

— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) June 27, 2014

It’s not the first time Weisman, Swanson and Gerst have demonstrated their passion for the World Cup. On June 25, NASA released a video of the three showing off football moves in zero gravity.