The Duchess of York told Johnson Space Center officials Friday she would like to travel in space and promptly was invited by the center's acting director to take part in a mission.
Although NASA officials admitted the invitation was made in jest, they said they were impressed by the former Sarah Ferguson's knowledge of aviation and the depth of her questions about the space shuttle. The duchess has a helicopter pilot's license.The duchess, 30, was on the second day of her five-day visit to Houston. She was invited to the city about nine months ago by the Houston Grand Opera to take part in its celebration of 300 years of British opera.
The duchess met with Mayor Kathy Whitmire Friday morning, giving the mayor autographed copies of children's books she has written.
Fergie then went to the space center, where she spent about 90 minutes touring a mock-up of the space station Freedom, sitting in the pilot's seat of a shuttle trainer and touring mission control.
"She was very interested in everything," said flight director Wayne Hale. "She was very interested in how the shuttle works and what you have to do to train as an astronaut.
"She told me several times she would very much like to go into space."
Hale said that at one point Johnson Space Center Acting Director Paul Weitz asked the duchess if she would like to take part in a shuttle mission.
Fergie broke into laughter when she discovered in a niche on the flight director's console a roll of toilet tissue Hale said is used to clean computer screens.
"She spotted that thing right off and pulled it out and asked what it was there for," Hale said.