Space School with Tim Peake

Children from Ashfield Primary School in Otley have become the first in Yorkshire to speak live with British ESA Astronaut Tim Peake on the International Space Station. Ten lucky children between the ages of three and 11 were selected to each ask a question to Tim when the live link began on May 4th at 09.07, the exact time the space station was visible from Yorkshire.

Ashfield was selected to host a call after applying to take part in the Amateur Radio competition collaboration between the UK Space Agency, the Radio Society of Great Britain and the European Space Agency.

Head teacher Elspeth Warren said: “This has been an incredibly exciting day for everyone at the school. We feel so honoured to have been chosen to speak to Tim and the experience for the children has been wonderful. Tim is an incredible role model for the children and I know many of them now want to follow in his footsteps and travel to space.’

Zac Shaffrey aged 11, who asked Tim Peake a question, said: “Speaking to Tim Peake live from space was awesome! We were all so excited when his face came on the screen and we could hear his voice. It’s amazing because he is so far away but could hear everything we were asking. We learnt that astronauts have space sweets and their food floats around if they don’t stick it down!”