It's unclear how the turkey dinners were loaded onto the shuttle. However, Jeffrey Williams, the current lone U.S. resident on the International Space Station (ISS), is suspected in the matter. It still isn't known whether any of the shuttle astronauts were in on it.
Shuttle commander Charles Hobaugh had made it clear before the 11-day mission that he did not care what meals were provided on the Thanksgiving holiday. He made no special meal requests. Despite this, the Atlantis astronauts dined on smoked and irradiated turkey, along with pouches of candied yams and freeze-dried cornbread stuffing and green beans.
On Thursday, Hobaugh noted that to him, Thanksgiving was less about the food, and more about the company. As he added, "I'm keeping some outstanding company here."
Atlantis is returning after delivering nearly 15 tons of supplies for the ISS, which is stocking up as the space shuttle program nears its end. NASA wants the ISS prepared to function long after the space shuttles retire next fall.
The Shuttle is bringing back Nicole Stott after a three-month stay on the ISS. Meanwhile, although astronaut Randolph Bresnik has been off world for only 1 1/2 weeks, he missed his daughter's birth. Abigail Mae Bresnik was born Saturday night, just hours after his first spacewalk.
Written by Michael Santo
HULIQ.com
Posted November 26th, 2009 by Michael Santo
