Surprise White House Call to Shuttle Crew Upcoming

The final full day of docked operations between shuttle Discovery and the international space station has begun, and with news of a special call upcoming from the Roosevelt room this morning.

At about 9:49 am EDT today, President Barack Obama will call the crews of the shuttle & station - from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in what NASA's Mission Control is keeping as a surprise for the crews. Mr. Obama will be joined by local school children and senators.

Discovery's crew awoke this morning at 6:13 am EDT, to the music of Andrew's Song by the band Tree Stump (mission specialist John Phillips' daughter plays base guitar in the group) while the shuttle-station complex sailed 220 miles over the northwestern Pacific Ocean while in orbital darkness [above image].