British astronaut Tim Peake has helped two crewmen carry out a spacewalk – but failed in an attempt to phone his parents from the International Space Station (ISS).
He tried making the call but missed his mother and father because they were out. Nigel and Angela Peake arrived home to find a voicemail left by their son. Speaking to ITV News, they also revealed that a cardboard cut-out of Major Peake – dubbed “Flat Tim” – will take his place at the Christmas table later this week.
The primary purpose of the spacewalk by American Nasa astronauts Tim Kopra and Scott Kelly was to free a jammed robotic trolley.
The Mobile Transporter, which carries a robot arm along a rail attached to the truss, the station’s central “backbone”, became stuck on Wednesday.
During the EVA (extra-vehicular activity), Major Peake was responsible for getting his fellow astronauts in and out of their space suits and safely through the airlock.
The Mobile Transporter had to be moved and latched in the right position to clear a path for an unmanned Russian Progress supply craft, due to dock in two days.
Nasa broadcast live footage of the operation, showing dramatic views of the astronauts at work with the Earth turning slowly in the background.
Describing the missed call from space, Nigel Peake, from Westbourne, near Chichester, said: “It was quite surreal. We’d popped out for about an hour to see our daughter who lives nearby, came home to an answerphone message, ‘hello, this is your son from the International Space Station’.
“We’re out when he calls! That message is going to stay there in perpetuity, I can assure you.”
He revealed that his son would make an appearance of sorts at this year’s family Christmas dinner.
“He will be with us around the Christmas festive table as a giant cardboard cut-out, which the people in the village very kindly made for the celebration party they had on launch day,” said Nigel Peake. “We’ve now borrowed him.”
Major Peake’s mother Angela said: “We’ve got used to calling him Flat Tim, so Flat Tim will be having dinner with us on Christmas Day.”
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