HOUSTON - Many people will travel for the holidays, but no one will be farther from home than the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. With that in mind, NASA invites the public to send personal holiday greetings to the orbiting crew.

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, the first female to command the station, and her crewmates are circling Earth at 17,500 mph, orbiting 16 times each day. Whitson and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut, have been on the station since Oct. 12. Flight Engineer Dan Tani, a U.S. astronaut, joined them Oct. 25. Together, they make up the 16th resident crew of the orbiting outpost.

The crew members share their thoughts about the holidays and provide a peek at some of their orbital decorations in a special video message airing on NASA Television beginning at 1 p.m. CST Friday and available on the NASA Web site. The crew will have some off-duty time for the holidays and share a special meal. On Dec. 26, a Russian Progress cargo ship will arrive with a special holiday delivery, including fresh food, supplies and gifts.

To send a personalized message to the crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Once your message is submitted, visitors also may select a NASA-themed e-postcard to send to a friend. For more about the Expedition 16 mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv