Astronauts get half-day off in space

Houston: Astronauts at the International Space Station prepared to work on a urine-recycling contraption and to re-fire the space shuttle's thrusters on Friday, before enjoying a half-day off to reboost their own energy.

Endeavour's extra push will elevate the docked space shuttle and space station complex about a mile. That will put the space station at the right altitude to receive a Russian Progress spaceship scheduled to deliver cargo to the orbiting outpost three days after Endeavour starts heading back to Earth on Thanksgiving.

The space station generally stays in the range of 321 to 354km above Earth.

Endeavour's seven astronauts and the three space station crew members have been working without a break since the space shuttle launched from Florida a week ago. They will get a half-day off in space after holding a news conference.