From: BBracey@aol.com
Subject: From Mission Control... no kidding
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 19:06:36 -0400 (EDT)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla, April 7 (Reuter) - Mission control on Monday offered the crew of the space shuttle Columbia some tongue-in-cheek reasons for the early end to their mission. A list of the ``top 10 reasons why we are really coming home early'' was faxed to the astronauts in their morning mail. Officially, a malfunctioning power generator was blamed for cutting short the planned 16-day mission and bringing it home on Tuesday. Among mission control's alternative explanations were: -- Crew forgot to do their taxes before they left and tax day is approaching April 15. -- Hale Bopp comet aliens got way too close for comfort. -- NASA TV ratings were low. -- 0.J. Simpson trial is over and CNN needs something to cover. -- Crew left stove on back in Houston. -- Need to be home to see soap opera ``Friends'' on Thursday. -- Energiser bunny wasn't on board.