PIECE of the Mary Rose is to be taken into space

During a gala dinner on board HMS Warrior, the Atlantis space shuttle crew, who are visiting Portsmouth, were presented with a wooden ball bearing from the Tudor warship which was used to hoist the yards carrying the sails up the mast.

It was fundamental to the propulsion to the warship.

It will be taken back to Houston where it will hopefully be taken on a space mission.

John Lippiett, chief executive of the Mary Rose Trust, said: 'It is really tremendous to have the opportunity to present this little piece of the Mary Rose to the visiting shuttle crew to take back to Houston, in the hope that it will be taken into space on a future mission.

'The Mary Rose was as revolutionary in technological advances 500 years as the space shuttle.

'Both have helped pioneer exploration and advanced the sciences.'

Also on board HMS Warrior last night was astronomer Sir Patrick Moore.

The purpose of the gala dinner was to raise money to send a child from Portsmouth to one of the NASA centres in Florida.

The Atlantis space crew were today rocketing around the city in a whirlwind tour to meet thousands of youngsters.

Posted in: Nasa Space Station Information