The seven-astronaut crew of the space shuttle Endeavour is getting ready this week to blast off to the ISS (International Space Station) on Friday. The liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. and the astronauts will upgrade the ISS from a three-bedroom, one bath house with a kitchenette to a five-bedroom, two-bath living space with two kitchenettes, as well as the latest technology updates NASA has to offer. Unfortunately for them, the astronauts will spend Thanksgiving in orbit around the Earth, but seven turkey dinners have been packed aboard Endeavour for the two-week mission. The Thanksgiving meal includes rehydratable green beans, thermo stabilized candied yams, fresh corn bread dressing, cranberry-apple desert and irradiated smoked turkey. Even if the astronauts will celebrate together a family-spent dinner, they come from very different backgrounds.

The commander of the space shuttle, Chris Ferguson, will command his first space mission ever, as he was previously a co-pilot in a 2006 mission. On the other hand, it will be the first experience into space for Pilot Eric Boe, who logged more than 4,000 flight hours since joining the Air Force in the 80’s. Donald Petit, a 53-year old, will be on his second mission into space, as he was previously on the ISS when the space shuttle Columbia shattered during re-entry in 2003. Navy Captain Stephen Bowen was the first submarine officer to be selected as an astronaut in 2000 and he will perform three spacewalks during his spaceflight. Another member of the expedition, Robert Kimbrough, who became an astronaut in 2004, will perform two spacewalks during the mission.

As for the feminine side of the Endeavour mission, it is represented by Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, the first female to be given the duty of lead spacewalker on a shuttle flight, and Sandra Magnus, who will stay at the ISS for three-and-a-half months. This is her second trip to the ISS. As for the fact that the seven of them will spend Thanksgiving in space, Chris Ferguson, mission commander, told the media:”They've given us the full seven-course Thanksgiving meal, and all we need to have now is the time to eat it.”