International Space Station: Star of Bethlehem over Mexican sky

Russian cargo spaceship with New Year gifts docks to ISS
Moscow | Wednesday, Dec 26 2007 IST
 
 
Russian cargo spacecraft Progress M-62, carrying various supplies, including New Year gifts, for the space crew members docked to the International Space Station (ISS) today, Russian news agencies reported quoting Russia's mission control. Progress M-62, piggybacked on a Soyuz-U carrier rocket, lifted off from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan on Sunday. The Progress M-62 docked to the compartment Pirs at 11.14 am Moscow local time as per schedule, a source in the Moscow regional Flight Control Centre told Itar-Tass. The cargo spaceship brought to the ISS more than two tons of various cargos, including food products, water, fuel, various equipment and New Year gifts for the ISS crewmembers, he said. Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Daniel Tani work as crewmembers of the 16th ISS mission.

Sun Dec 23, 3:07 AM ET
MOSCOW (AFP) - A Russian Progress spacecraft blasted off Sunday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan delivering presents and goodies for Christmas and New Year's to the International Space Station.The Progress was packed with fuel, food and technical gear for the ISS, as well as Christmas presents for US commander Peggy Whitson and NASA flight engineer Dan Tani, Interfax news agency reported.

December 23, 2007. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia
 
In accordance with the mission plan of the International Space Station (ISS) and Russian commitments under the ISS project, cargo transportation spacecraft Progress M-62 was launched from Baikonur launch site at 10:12:41 Moscow Time.

Mom of space station astronaut dies in crash
Posted: December 20, 2007, 9:10 PM by Ronald Nurwisah  
 
Reuters has the tragic story of U.S. astronaut Daniel Tani. Mr. Tani, who has been abroad the International Space Station since October, found out Thursday that his 90-year old mother was killed in a car crash. Mr. Tani was supposed to have returned to Earth on Wednesday, but delays to a space shuttle launch meant he had to spend a few more weeks in orbit:
    A NASA spokeswoman said there was no impact on space station activities and Tani was working on a science experiment on Thursday, as scheduled.
    Police in the town of Lombard, Illinois, west of Chicago, said Tani's mother was behind a school bus stopped at a crossing when the gate went down. She drove around the bus onto the tracks and was struck, they said.
 BC is also reporting that Mr. Tani will be watching his mother's funeral from space.
 

       It's a heartbreaking situation no other American astronaut has experienced. And it's made all the more tragic by Tani's devotion to his mother, Rose, who raised him and his siblings alone in suburban Chicago after their father died when he was 4.
 He is obviously pretty sad," the astronaut's brother, Richard Tani, said in Thursday's Chicago Sun-Times. "He was pretty close to her. We are all close to her. She was loved by everyone."
 ani's wife and a flight surgeon on the ground broke the news in a video conference call with the 46-year-old astronaut. But phone calls and e-mails from space are as close as Tani can get to the loving embrace of his family.

fake Star of Bethlehem will cross Mexican sky on the 24/12 
 
babelfish translation----
 
The space station will shine as star of Bethlehem Next the 24 of December, the ISS International Space Station, will be as shining as the Venus planet, due to the installation of new modules that have increased their power to reflect the light that receives from the Sun; he will be visible in Mexico
 
According to the history narrated in the Bible, three kings of the east followed a star that guided them Bethlehem, a so shining and singular celestial body that he would indicate the birth of the founder of the Christianity. More than 2 thousand years later a star of the same characteristics will move the 24 of December on the sky of the center of Mexico, during 6 minutes. The International, the fourth celestial body is the Space station more brilliant after the Sun, the Moon and Venus. The space station moved in northeast direction from the constellation of the Swan, losing itself of Vista to the south of the celestial vault in the constellation of Eridanus (the Rio). The modern "star of visible Bethlehem" from the center of Mexico. sgf

Brillará la estación espacial como estrella de Belén
 
El próximo 24 de diciembre, la EEI será tan brillante como el planeta Venus, debido a la instalación de nuevos módulos que han incrementado su poder de reflejar la luz que recibe del Sol; será visible en México
Brillará la estación espacial como estrella de BelénBrillará la estación espacial como estrella de Belén
 
Andrés Eloy Martinez Rojas
El Universal
 
Sábado 22 de diciembre de 2007
De acuerdo a la historia narrada en la Biblia, tres reyes del oriente siguieron una estrella que los guió a Belén, un cuerpo celeste tan brillante y singular que señalaría el nacimiento del fundador del cristianismo.
 
Más de 2 mil años después un astro de las mismas características se desplazará el 24 de diciembre sobre el cielo del centro de México, durante 6 minutos. Se trata de la Estación Espacial Internacional, el cuarto cuerpo celeste más brillante después del Sol , la Luna y Venus.