CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts thought they were going to give thanks with pantry leftovers today as their mission drew to a close.

Instead, they found turkey dinners awaiting them.

The meal switch was revealed this morning when a TV interviewer brought up the absence of turkey dinners aboard Atlantis.

Commander Charles Hobaugh had made it clear before the 11-day flight that he did not care what he ate on the holiday, be it beef brisket or tofu. He made no special meal requests.

But somehow, smoked and irradiated turkey ended up on Atlantis, along with pouches of candied yams and freeze-dried cornbread stuffing and green beans.

Hobaugh and his crew spent Thanksgiving getting ready for tomorrow morning's landing. Good landing weather was forecast for the scheduled touchdown at Cape Canaveral, Fla.