While people on Earth celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday with turkey, yams and fruit cobbler, astronauts on the ISS tucked into a rather more cosmic version of this festive meal.

On the menu for the six crew members were bags of freeze-dried, irradiated and thermostabilised food that resembled their Earthly counterparts.

From a bag containing smoked turkey to some questionable-looking cornbread dressing, both the US and Russian segments of the station came together to enjoy the feast in space.

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Nasa in Washington revealed the Thanksgiving meal enjoyed on the ISS. Astronauts ate freeze-dried, irradiated and thermostabilised foods. Pictured here is Nasa astronaut Barry 'Butch' Wilmore with the meal enjoyed by all six of the crew on the ISS

In a video Nasa astronaut Butch Wilmore talked through the food the astronauts would be tucking in to - 260 miles (420km) above Earth.

Although they aren't given a day off, Nasa said its crew onboard the station was given an easier day during the holiday.

'The Nasa astronauts on the orbital complex will have a light day on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday and will share a meal with the rest of their crewmates,' the agency said.

NASA'S THANKSGIVING MENU - Irradiated smoked turkey - Thermostabilised candied yams - Freeze-dried green beans - Freeze-dried mushrooms - Freeze-dried cornbread dressing - Thermostabilised cherry-blueberry cobbler Advertisement

While most Americans roasted turkeys and emptied cranberry sauce out of cans, the station crew broke out the scissors to open bags of freeze-dried, irradiated and thermostabilised food.

Their menu included traditional holiday fare with a space-food flair - irradiated smoked turkey, thermostabilised candied yams and freeze-dried green beans and mushrooms.

The meal also featured Nasa's own freeze-dried cornbread dressing - just add water. Dessert featured thermostabilised cherry-blueberry cobbler.

The space station Expedition 42 crew is made up of Commander Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts of Nasa, Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov, Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Russia's Roscosmos and Italian Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of Esa.

Station food generally resembles that, for the most part, flown in space since the inception of the Space Shuttle Program some 30 years ago.

The astronauts' menu included traditional holiday fare with a space-food flair - irradiated smoked turkey, thermostabilised candied yams and freeze-dried green beans and mushrooms

Astronauts on the ISS often enjoy meals together at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pictured here are most of the crew of the previous Expedition 41 enjoying a meal with each other

Nasa has been researching and developing ways to extend the shelf-life of food needed for deep space missions, such as those to Mars, and to minimise the volume of packaging.

The agency is also using the International Space Station as a laboratory to learn how to grow plants, such as lettuce, in space.

Future crew members spending Thanksgiving in space may have one traditional staple: fresh sweet potatoes.

The sweet potato may be one of the crops chosen for crews to grow on deep space missions.

It provides an important energy source - carbohydrates - as well as beta-carotene, a source of vitamin A.

Commander Barry 'Butch' Wilmore of Nasa is seen here explaining the menu, while holding a sachet of irradiated turkey. Although they aren't given a day off, Nasa said its crew onboard the station was given an easier day to celebrate the holiday

Thanksgiving has been a traditional staple of life on the ISS for many years. Here Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov (left) and Mikhail Tyurin celebrate Thanksgiving aboard the ISS in 2005

The sweet potato is able to adapt to a controlled environment with artificial sunlight, and it is highly adaptable to a variety of vine-training architectures.

The main shoot tip, or the end of the main vine, is the only really sensitive part.

It sends hormones throughout the plant that stimulate root development, which is important since it is the roots that become the sweet potatoes.

The side shoots, if picked when young, are tender and can be eaten in salads, improving the plant's usefulness.

Scientists believe most food items in the transit food system on future deep space missions will resemble those used on the station.

Advanced processing and packaging methods will be needed to provide extended shelf lives and improved nutrition for the longer missions.

Stored food and salad crops will be used in the early stages of planetary stays until permanent living bases are constructed.