Birthday link-up for grieving astronaut

BIRTHDAY wishes will be beamed into space today to an astronaut mourning the death of his mother while he was on his mission.

Thousands of school children are expected to log on to watch Nasa’s live link-up with Dan Tani who has been living on board the International Space Station since he blasted into space on the shuttle Discovery last October.

Just before Christmas his mother died in a road accident. But Nasa hopes to lift his spirits today.