The moment when Tim Peake’s shuttle docked on to the International Space Station, and the British astronaut could be seen entering through the hatch to meet the current crew of ISS was a very emotional one. Two reporters from Newsnuggets were in the studio together with science-stars Brian Cox, Dara O’Briain, former ISS captain Chris Hatfield, and the first ever British person in space, Helen Sharman, when the rendezvous took place.
To mark the occasion of the first British man in space (remember Helen was first in 1991!), the popular BBC program Stargazer Live was broadcasted from the Science Museum in London. While waiting for Tim Peake to transfer from the shuttle to the ISS (images were streamed in the background), the presenters talked about the launch in Russia, gave details about the ISS, and what the life of an astronaut in space looks like.
Over the one hour broadcast, tension built in the studio: would the shuttle crew be able to open the hatch on time for the British TV audience to witness the entry on air? As luck would have it, just a few minutes before the end of the program, Peake could open the door and float weightlessly from the shuttle into the more spacious interior of the ISS. Our reporters in the front-row cheered louder than most! What a special night.