By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : For the first time in the history of space exploration, two astronauts will celebrate their birthdays on board the International Space Station (ISS) Thursday.
Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Korniyenko celebrates his 50th birthday and his fellow astronaut from Japan, Soichi Noguchi, turns 45.
Traditionally, birthdays on board of the ISS are celebrated with a festive table and the astronauts toast the birthday person with tubes containing juice. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the ISS.
Korniyenko, who is a former Russian policeman, arrived at the space station April 4 as part of the ISS Expedition 23 together with his compatriot Alexander Skvortsov and US astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson.
Noguchi together with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov and US astronaut Timothy Creamer are members of the previous expedition, which is still on board the ISS.