One day when I had been working at the University for a while as a network technician, a lady came round, a slight person with mousy hair. The man introduced her as Helen Sharman the lady who had been selected as a British Astronaught. In fact I did know the lady as she was a radio amateur I had been in contact with on 2 meters and she only lived a few miles from me.
So I shook hands, she declined to kiss me in case she caught a cold as that might disqualify her from flying.
We arranged to talk to each other when she was flying over London in the Shuttle. My call sign was G6TFK so she noted it as one of her contacts.
When the time came I contacted Helen and had a brief conversation. She told me she could not see any "Flying Saucers" around, but her field of view was limited by the small window. I wished her God speed and a safe landing.
Chris
02/01/2010