Mark wishes sport stars luck
30/04/2002

 

Makhaya Ntini, Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie, Brian Boloyi and Kenny Niemach chat to Shuttleworth.
Space Talk
 
Cape Town - Some of the brightest stars in South African sport chatted to Mark Shuttleworth during a live link to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday morning.

Springbok rugby players Joost van der Westhuizen, Conrad Jantjes and Willie Meyer were impressed when Shuttleworth flickered onto the studio television screen wearing a Springbok rugby jersey.

Shuttleworth told Van der Westhuizen he hopes the SA team will have an exceptional season and "put us back on top of the world".

"The view from on top of the world is really awesome," he said.

Shuttleworth admitted that he was "a bit battered and bruised" from floating around in zero gravity and told Baby Jakes Mtlala that he could do with a boxing helmet up at the ISS.

The experiments that Shuttleworth are conducting in space are going "so far so good", but the stem cell experiments have hit "a lot of engineering snags".

"The intricate glove work don't seem to work so well in zero gravity, but hopefully we will be able to bring back some space sheep."

'The view from up here is incredible'

Shuttleworth told Kaizer Chiefs striker Kenny Niemach that it is "an extraordinary experience" to realise one's dreams.

"Everyone has their own dreams that you must pursue with everything you've got."

Cricketer Makhaya Ntini asked Shuttleworth what he can see from up in space.

"The view from up here is incredible. I can see towns, rivers and glimpses of cities.

"We can see the universe incredibly clearly. You can see double the amount of stars. The moon and sun is just incredible from up here," Shuttleworth said.

He admitted to having a few anxious moments when he looked out of the window during his first night and saw two eyes staring back at him. "But there are no little green men looking back," he said.

One of the things he looks forward to most when he returns to Earth, is to spend "long quiet time with the people that matter most".

"And I have a strong desire to take care of this incredible planet."