Duchess of Edinburgh and ISS astronaut inspire Furness group

On Saturday, October 5, Her Royal Highness Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, visited Brooklands Museum in Weybridge to engage in a live chat with Sunita Williams.

Ms Williams is currently onboard the International Space Station (ISS) for what is her third trip to the site, having been an astronaut since 1998.

Her current mission began in June and was meant to last eight days but, due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft she travelled on, she has remained stranded on the ISS.

February next year is now seen as the earliest possible date for her return to Earth.

Sophie, joined by 100 Brownies, Guides and Rangers, established radio contact with Ms Williams as part of an event to promote STEM involvement among girls and young women.

The Duchess of Edinburgh addressing Sunita Williams (Image: Jordan Pettitt; PA)

One of the groups to listen into the conversation was the Furness Amateur Radio Society (FARS), who have a track record when it comes to looking up at the stars.

Graham Postlethwaite, a member of the group, explained that they were all 'glued to their sets' whilst the interview took place.

He said: "Many of the ISS crew have held an amateur radio licence in the past and regularly had conversations with radio amateurs all over the world, including the UK and Furness.

"This does not happen so often now, so it was good to get this opportunity again.

"Members of the society were thrilled to hear the British astronaut Tim Peake in 2016 and also the first British Astronaut Helen Sharman in 1991."

The society also made sure that the Duchess' talk reached her target audience, with the next generation of enthusiasts listening in.

Sophia Leviston of Askam, whose father Chris is the chairman of FARS, used her dad's radio to listen to the weekend transmission, being one of the many young girls across the country to be inspired by the talk.