ISS Astronauts Send Greetings to Military

November 26, 2008 — It’s not your average holiday greeting card. Nor did it go to just any family member or friend. The combined crews of shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station have sent a special greeting to members of the American military in time for the upcoming holiday season. From orbit 220 miles above Earth, the NASA astronauts who are also military officers, including Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke, and Mission Specialists Shane Kimbrough Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen, sent greetings to the soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines around the world who are away from their families this holiday season. The crew thanked the service members for their commitment and dedication and wished them well. The crew will be celebrating Thanksgiving aboard the orbiting space station with a break from their chores as they gather to eat a special meal, the Associated Press reported. But just because it’s special, doesn’t mean it’s particularly tasty. The AP reported that the smoked turkey resembles sliced deli meat but stiffer, the candied yams are bland inside, the green beans taste like they've been microwaved to death and the corn bread stuffing has a broth-heavy, institutional flavor. Instead of sitting at a large Thanksgiving dinner table, the astronauts will float around as they eat. The food pouches have Velcro tags that allow them to be attached to the astronauts' suits. The food also can be fixed to Velcro patches on metallic food trays, which each have a spoon, fork, knife and scissors tethered to them for cutting open the food pouches. The trays can then be strapped to the astronauts' laps or attached to a wall, the AP reported. The last time a space shuttle crew ate their holiday meal in space was six years ago. During the mission, the astronauts have been working to service the station's solar arrays and deliver and install cargo and equipment necessary to expand the crew size from three to six people next year. Endeavour is scheduled to return home on November 30, the same day a Russian cargo ship should arrive at the ISS with more than 1,800 pounds of propellant, more than 100 pounds of oxygen and air, more than 450 pounds of water and nearly 3,000 pounds of dry cargo. Once the cargo is unloaded, the aircraft will be filled with trash and station discards. It will be undocked from the station and, like its predecessors, it will be commanded to re-enter and burn in the Earth's atmosphere.

Astronauts Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough (out of frame) completed the lubrication of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joints as well as other station assembly Image Credit: NASA Astronaut Steve Bowen participates in the mission's fourth and final scheduled session of extravehicular activity as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA Astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Shane Kimbrough work in the Unity node of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Endeavour remains docked with the station. Image credit: NASA

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