BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- American astronaut Daniel M. Tani has to grieve for his 90-year-old mother on board the International Space Station, media reported Friday.

     Tani was told of her death but is not scheduled to return to Earth until next month.

Spacewalker Dan Tani (L) and commander Peggy Whitson gather tools before leaving their worksite on the exterior of the International Space Station in this image from NASA TV, Dec. 18, 2007. Whitson and spacewalker Dan Tani, who are on the ISS, will check for damage to the outpost's power system during the planned 6.5-hour spacewalk. (Xinhua Photo)

    "A close family member dying while someone is in orbit has not happened before," John Yembrick, a NASA spokesman. The International Space Station always has a Soyuz escape vehicle tethered to it. But if flight engineer Tani returned early, all three astronauts would have to join him in the Soyuz and effectively abandon ship. 

    All astronauts are asked whether they would want to know about family emergencies right away or whether the information should be held back if they are preparing for an intense task such as a spacewalk, said Dr. Sean Roden, Tani's flight surgeon.

    Tani, like nearly all his colleagues, wanted to know immediately, Roden said.

    NASA offered to let Tani take some time off, but he decided to carry on with his normal duties.

    "He is obviously pretty sad," the astronaut's brother, Richard Tani, said in Thursday's Chicago Sun-Times. "He was pretty close to her. We are all close to her. She was loved by everyone."

    Rose was often praised by her son as the inspiration for his success. She travelled to Florida to watch her son's latest take-off on Oct. 23. During a space walk last mouth, he sent special greetings to her. She died Wednesday in a crash on a level crossing in Illinois.

    (Agencies)