Christmas in Space

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (AP) - Christmas is a-comin' to the
international space station.
The two Americans and one Russian aboard the station have been
setting aside food pouches for a traditional holiday feast. They
will have smoked turkey with cornbread dressing and candied yams.
Christmas dinner will be followed by another special treat in
the days to come.
An unmanned Russian cargo ship is set to dock with the ISS early
tomorrow morning. It's carrying fuel, oxygen, food and presents for
the crew. Commander Peggy Whitson says the goodies include fixings
for hamburgers with fresh tomatoes and onions.
Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (muh-LEN'-chen-koh) celebrated his
46th birthday aboard the station Saturday. And astronaut Dan Tani
(TAH'-nee) is looking forward to coming home to his two pre-school
daughters as soon as next month. He's also dealing with last week's
death of his 90-year-old mother in a suburban Chicago crash.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)