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Posted by
Orange Blossom Special
on Tue Jun 10 18:17:37 2008
edf40wrjww2msgDetailOT:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Mission complete, astronauts ready to head home
Reisman was going to be on the shuttle side of the hatches later Tuesday, following their closing at the international space station. He moved into the space station in March and was replaced by astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, who flew up on Discovery for a six-month stay.
"This is a hand-over between one Jewish astronaut and another, so we're pretty excited about that," Chamitoff said.
Chamitoff, 45, an aeronautics researcher, took up some bagels to share with Reisman -- they were made by Chamitoff's family in Montreal -- as well as a few mezuzahs that he's flying for friends. He said he can't install the mezuzahs, religious objects attached to the entrances of Jewish homes, because "we can't decorate the space station as we like."
Reisman, 40, a mechanical engineer, spent the past week showing Chamitoff the ropes and gave him his phone number in case he needed to ask something. "He's probably going to change his number," Chamitoff said, laughing.
Discovery is scheduled to pull away from the space station on Wednesday, ending a nine-day visit that was highlighted by the installation of a brand new Japanese lab.
Flight director Matt Abbott said the mission has gone "just phenomenally well" and noted that "the one thing that will make me happier is when we get Discovery and the crew safely on the ground."
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