Santa Has Company in the Christmas Sky

Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington December 19, 2003
(Phone: 202/358-1272)

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

RELEASE: 03-418

SANTA HAS COMPANY IN THE CHRISTMAS SKY

Santa will have company in the sky above most U.S. cities
on Christmas Eve. The International Space Station will be
visible, weather permitting, with its two crewmen snug in
sleeping bags secured to the walls, with visions of dehydrated
turkey dancing in their heads.

Cities from New York to Los Angeles, and most points in
between, will have the Station pass high overhead, but easily
visible, at various times Dec. 23-26. Exact sighting dates,
times and viewing tips for hundreds of towns are available on
the Internet at:

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/real...ties/index.cgi

NASA astronaut Michael Foale and Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri
will spend Christmas aboard the Station, more than two months
into a six-month flight. A Christmas message from the crew
airs on NASA Television at 3 p.m. EST today.

For the holiday, Foale and Kaleri will enjoy a Christmas, as
traditional as it can be in orbit, more than 230 miles
overhead. They've saved a special ration of smoked turkey just
for the occasion. They have Velcro ornaments, and a space-
saving Nomex Christmas tree. The crew has special Christmas
stockings, filled by Santa before they left Earth, with
special treats and gifts from family and friends.

On Christmas Day they will see and speak with their families
via a two-way video linkup. Back on Earth, teams of flight
controllers and experiment investigators in Houston,
Huntsville, Ala. and Moscow will spend Christmas with the crew
as well.

"Keeping the Station operating well is a 24-7 job," said Jeff
Hanley, NASA Flight Director. "And while we can't be with our
families, we all will feel privileged to be here. We are
sharing our holiday with our crew in space."

The staff in Mission Control will maintain a festive mood
during the day, Hanley said, and by tradition, they will join
together during the day to share video greetings with the
crew. Foale and Kaleri are scheduled to return to Earth April
29.

NASA Television is available on AMC-2, transponder 9C, C-Band,
located at 85 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0
MHz. Polarization is vertical and audio is monaural at 6.8
MHz.

For more information about the International Space Station,
its crew and a special feature on the history of holidays in
space, visit:

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


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