Pope Benedict XVI created history when he chatted with astronauts drifting above the earth as the Vatican linked up with the International Space Station for the first-ever papal video call to space. The crew of the ISS and the linked US space shuttle Endeavour excitedly waved to the pope, who smiled and waved back. The Pope who spoke from the Vatican library admired the astronauts' courage and commitment and described their mission as "an adventure to discover the origins of humanity."
The pontiff said that the exploration of new spaces will throw open many possibilities for the future, which will be beyond the limitations of man's everyday existence. He then asked the astronauts five questions about life in space and the perception of the world from so far away.
When the Pope asked them their thoughts on world peace and the future of the planet, shuttle crewman Mike Finchke said the ISS showed what human beings could achieve by working together. At the end of the 20-minute call, the astronauts waved cheerfully to the pope and showed some gravity defying pranks that made the pope smile.