There was good news and bad news Sunday for the Russian-American pair orbiting earth aboard the International Space Station: They get the day off Monday to celebrate World War II Victory Day, but they can't raise a glass of anything alcoholic to toast the event.
"Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips will rest and talk to their families on the phone," RIA Novosti news agency quoted a spokesman at Russia's mission control center as saying.
"The only difference from many earthlings is that the cosmonauts cannot toast the holiday with a '100 grams for the front' – the dry law aboard the ISS is strictly enforced," the spokesman said, using the Russian idiom for drinking a healthy shot of vodka before going into combat.
The report recalled that Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov, speaking at a press conference after his return from space last month, suggested that being allowed to indulge in a wee dram of cognac or wine occasionally would help the ISS occupants perform their duties.
An occasional drink would also help "ease the psychological pressure" associated with spending months at a time floating weightless in a metal box careering through space, he said.
