In Russia it is a tradition for astronauts to do what before blasting off into space...
do a handstand
plant a tree
salute the kremlin
sing their national anthem
The 'avenue of heroes' at Baikonur in Kazakhstan, where the shuttle will launch, provides a poignant memorial to each mission conducted over the past 50 years. The tradition started with Yuri Gagarin, the first human to enter space, when he planted a single tree before blasting off further from Earth than anyone had ever been. Every Russian cosmonaut, and then later astronauts from other countries, that has left the bounds of Earth from the Cosmodrome has first planted a tree on the path to the launchpad.
reach: rather globalastronomyspacetraditions
Answers by country
do a handstand
plant a tree
salute the kremlin
sing their national anthem
answers
Estonia
51
Spain
78
Austria
121
France
42
Greece
45
Australia
114
the Netherlands
41
Switzerland
51
Pakistan
24
Republic of Ireland
74
the United Kingdom
323
Italy
44
Germany
431
the United Arab Emirates
21
Poland
17825
the United States
335
Canada
58
Nigeria
40
India
290
the Philippines
18