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Which would be the most unusual place to celebrate Thanksgiving? The outer space, of course.
However, the American and Russian astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) took a break from their daily operations and gathered for one of the most special holidays – Thanksgiving Day.
The astronauts aboard the ISS had all they needed to celebrate Thanksgiving: a smoked turkey stuffing and yams. The only thing missing was their families, but, in outer space, probably any human being instantly becomes family.
"It gives us a moment to pause and reflect just how fortunate we are as a country and as global community," Chris Ferguson, Endeavour's commander, said, United Press International reported.
The astronauts will take the Thanksgiving Day break right before the Endeavour begins its undocking procedure to return to Earth.
The 10 members of the ISS gathered in a module called Harmony aboard the station and sat down for the Thanksgiving dinner, the Houston Chronicle reported. The menu included smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans and mushrooms, candied yams, cranapple dessert and tea. Although it doesn’t sound like it, it was a very special meal. The ingredients had been irradiated, freeze-dried, vacuum-packed into plastic pouches and then launched into space to be served approximately 220 miles above Earth.
Seven astronauts aboard the ISS will leave the station for Earth on Friday. Initially, the departure had been scheduled to take place before Thanksgiving, but NASA delayed it as the mission was extended.
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