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Hometown Astronaut Thinks Of Pittsburgh From Space

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Feb 12, 2008 10:24 pm US/Eastern

Hometown Astronaut Thinks Of Pittsburgh From Space

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― A man from the Pittsburgh area is one of 10 astronauts currently onboard the International Space Station.

Commander Stephen Frick, a 1982 Richland High School graduate, led a space shuttle mission to connect a lab to the space station.

With the help of NASA, KDKA's Paul Martino spoke with Frick and two other astronauts who are orbiting the earth.

"Once you get up there, it instantly comes back just how amazingly beautiful the earth is from up here," Frick said. You see every continent in 90 minutes. You can see the oceans, the mountains."

Although he's living in space at the moment, Frick's heart is still in Pittsburgh.

"I love getting back home. I love following the Steelers and the Pirates and the Penguins. We didn't quite make it this year, but there's always next year. Hope everyone is having a great winter up there," he said.

Frick's mission is to deliver a European lab which has now become a new addition to the space station. The commander tells KDKA the International Space Station is an important key to learning how to live in space and to explore other planets in the future.

Even so, the hometown astronaut still has his eye on the place where he grew up.

"I just had a pass over Pittsburgh about three hours ago and nothing but white. But I'm hoping we get a couple more this mission and I'm hoping clouds will clear and I'll get a good view of the three rivers," he said.

To see the astronauts in action, visit NASA.gov.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.