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>> Richard Mastracchio: Hi.

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I'm NASA astronaut
Rick Mastracchio.

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>> Michael Hopkins: And I'm
Mike Hopkins from Expedition 38

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on the International
Space Station.

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People often ask us
what it is like to be

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on board ISS for the holidays.

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Though we miss our families,
it's great to be in space.

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As astronauts, this
is what we train for,

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and this is where we want to be.

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Opportunities to fly
in space are rare.

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So we have to take advantage
of them whenever they occur.

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>> Richard Mastracchio: Like
Mike said, we are happy to be

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up here orbiting
above the Earth.

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If we can't be at home with our
families during the holidays,

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then this is the next best place
that any of us would like to be.

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The six of us up here
are like a family,

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and we enjoy many
meals together.

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Like most people in the US,
Thanksgiving means spending time

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with my family and
enjoying a big meal.

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>> Michael Hopkins:
And for my family,

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we often travel during
Thanksgiving

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because our relatives are
spread out across the US.

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It gives us a chance to catch
up with loved ones and relax.

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>> Richard Mastracchio: And even
though Thanksgiving is a work

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day here on the Space Station,

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we do plan on enjoying a big
meal after our work is done.

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Here are a few items
we've planned to prepare.

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We have turkey and
stuffed bread dressing.

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>> Michael Hopkins: Green
bean casserole is one

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of my favorites, but this is
dehydrated, and we kind of have

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to mix it together as we eat it.

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>> Richard Mastracchio:
And, of course,

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we got the dehydrated asparagus
and even some baked beans here.

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>> Michael Hopkins: A few
potatoes as well as bread,

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but all they have to do is
be heated up in the oven.

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>> Richard Mastracchio: And,
of course, no good meal is done

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without some drinks and
a fantastic dessert.

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>> Michael Hopkins: So we're
all very grateful to be here,

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and we are thankful
for the ground team

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that supports us
during the holidays.

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We are grateful to the men
and women in the military,

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especially to those
who are also away

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from their families
on deployment.

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>> Richard Mastracchio: From
the International Space Station

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orbiting 260 miles
above the Earth,