Queen mostly mum in astronaut chat

NASA billed Tuesday’s event with Queen Elizabeth II as “an opportunity to speak to the current crew of the International Space Station.”

Britain’s monarch, however, mostly listened as live video from aboard the station beamed to her as she stood in the control room of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington, D.C.

“Good morning, your majesty,” astronaut Sunita Williams said to the queen. The station is “a wonderful place to live, so thank you very much for joining us today.” The queen did not respond.

The only questions for Williams and the two Russian cosmonauts on the station came from Michael Foale, a British-born astronaut who stood at the queen’s side during the 10-minute session.

Queen Elizabeth listened, a slightly puzzled look sometimes crossing her face, as the station crew responded to Foale’s queries.

After the video link with the space station ended, the queen asked Foale a few questions, including how many times he had been to space.

“Six times, your majesty,” said Foale, now a U.S. citizen.

“Six!” she said, sounding astonished. Foale holds the U.S. record for length of time in orbit.

For Tuesday’s encounter, the queen wore white gloves, a yellow coat over a pink dress and a yellow hat topped by oversize pink roses. The crewmembers wore their space best: jumpsuits with zippered pockets on the chest and thighs.

The crewmembers nodded their heads as each was introduced to the monarch. They skipped the somersaults that astronauts often perform in space to prove to their listeners that they’re in weightlessness.