Space station astronauts pause to give holiday thanks

ISS crew members Yuri Gidzenko (right) and Sergei Krikalev unload supplies for the station

By Richard Stenger
CNN.com Writer

(CNN) -- For the multinational residents of the International Space Station, the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday was just another day at the office. But in the midst of transferring supplies from a cargo ship to their orbiting outpost, the American-led crew paused to give thanks and wish the best to everyone back on Earth.

Three weeks into a four-month stay, the crew on Thursday continued to turn on support systems and move equipment, clothing and food from an unmanned Russian Progress supply ship that docked with the station late last week.

The crew expects to complete unloading nearly two tons of supplies by Friday, giving them plenty of time to prepare for an upcoming rendezvous with the space shuttle Endeavour.

INTERACTIVE A 360° stroll through the International Space Station Cult3D models of the International Space Station and Soyuz     ALSO In-depth: City in Space     MESSAGE BOARD Do we need the International Space Station?

Taking a break 240 miles (386 km) above the planet, well before the United States woke up on Thanksgiving Day, the three crewmembers beamed down a video holiday greeting to flight controllers in Houston and Moscow.

"When you ride a good rocket ship to orbit, you have a lot to be thankful for," said Bill Shepherd, the U.S. astronaut leading the Expedition One crew. He and two cosmonauts rode into space on October 31 aboard a Soyuz, a Russian spaceship known for its reliability.

"So I just want to wish everybody down there happy Thanksgiving from the crew of space station Alpha," added Shepherd, referring to the informal name he and his cremates gave their three-module home soon after they arrived.

Although the Russian station residents do not traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving, they offered a holiday message as well.

"We know a lot of people are working in mission controls on both sides of the ocean, doing the same job, trying to make the space station alive. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you," said flight engineer Sergei Krikalev.

"We with you to be healthy and good luck," chimed in pilot Yuri Gidzenko.

Shepherd, Krikalev and Gidzenko should have a normal workday Thursday and Friday before taking a break over the weekend, NASA said.

A NASA video stream shows the crew's holiday greeting

They will resume their busy schedule next week preparing for the December 2 arrival of the shuttle Endeavour, which will use the same docking port as the Progress ship.

The shuttle is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on November 30, carrying a five-person crew and large solar arrays that will generate power for the orbiting station.

One of the most ambitious engineering projects ever, the space station is a 16-nation effort expected to cost between $60 billion and $100 billion.

NASA and its international partners plan to keep the station continuously occupied for at least 10 years. The outpost will spread out over almost an acre and contain much pressurized cabin space as a Boeing 747 jetliner when completed, perhaps as early as 2006.

Crew sets up shop on space station 'Alpha'
November 2, 2000
First space station residents speed toward new home
October 31, 2000
First space station crew hours from liftoff
October 30, 2000
First residents of space station raring to go
October 27, 2000

HSF - International Space Station
NASA
Boeing: Zarya: The Control Module

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.