King quips about making ‘a mess of this planet’ at space sustainability event

Charles hosted guests including Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, British astronaut Tim Peake and Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Sir Brian May.

The King unveils the seal during the space sustainability event at Buckingham Palace (Eamonn McCormack/PA) (PA Wire)

The King quipped about making “a mess of this planet” at a space sustainability event at Buckingham Palace.

Charles hosted astronauts, business leaders, environmentalists and scientists on Wednesday and unveiled a seal to mark the launch of the ‘Astra Carta’ framework, which is aimed at inspiring sustainability across the space industry.

Before unveiling the seal, the King said the event was held to try and ensure “the protection of outer space”.

He said: “Well, ladies and gentlemen, nothing can give me greater pleasure than to unveil this Astra Carta seal in the hope that as a result of all of you being here today and the meetings we’ve had already this morning, we can ensure the protection of outer space – having made rather a mess of this planet.

“I’m enormously grateful to all of you for being here today.”

It comes after Charles – as the prince of Wales – announced last year an ambition for his Sustainable Markets Initiative, which was set up to accelerate the world’s transition to a sustainable future, to create an Astra Carta.

Guests who attended the event included Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, British astronaut Tim Peake, the UK’s newest astronaut Rosemary Coogan, the world’s first disabled astronaut John McFall, Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Sir Brian May and representatives from the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, Nasa and other international space agencies.

Addressing the audience while stood next to the King before the unveiling, Colonel Hadfield, former commander of the International Space Station, said the impacts of humanity are “crystal clear” from outer space.

He said: “The Astra Carta was first envisioned by His Majesty when he was prince of Wales at the space sustainability summit a year ago. It built upon his five decades of leadership on sustainability and also built on its sister framework, the Terra Carta, and I am delighted to be able to say that what was once an ambition is today a reality.”

He added: “I’ve been so incredibly lucky to leave Earth three times. I’ve been out in space itself on two space walks, alone in the universe, and circled the planet over 2,500 times and I am permanently changed and moved by that experience.

“I’m moved by the rarity and the beauty and the living richness of our shared home. To see Mother Earth from afar is to be struck by wonder and to feel immense awe and gratitude to call this ancient vital place our home.

“Yet, even from hundreds of miles above, the impacts of short-sighted human decision-making are crystal clear.”

Speaking to the PA news agency after, Colonel Hadfield called the unveiling “a really pivotal moment in history”.

He added: “The King came to me a little over a year ago with the idea of the Astra Carta. It’s a needed and excellent initiative.

“I had a private meeting with him a couple of months ago. We talked at length. He helped to draft the Astra Carta himself.”

The Astra Carta will be developed and sent out at the next United Nations Climate Change Conference, he added.

It aims to bring the private sector together in creating and accelerating sustainable practices across the global space industry.

Major Tim Peake, who engaged more than two million schoolchildren across Europe in more than 30 projects during his time in space, said the King was “absolutely delighted and really enthused and encouraged” by the space sustainability symposium at The Royal Society, hosted by science minister George Freeman on Wednesday morning.

He said some defunct satellites which were launched 20 years ago are posing a threat to any new satellites and the space station, and one of the issues they are focusing on is making sure satellites have a way of removing themselves once they have been launched into orbit.

Major Peake said Charles is “incredibly enthusiastic” about the issues close to his heart.

Sir Brian said he felt “a bit of an imposter” in the room with astronauts but said he managed to secure the first stereoscopic photo of Pluto.

He added of the event the King was hosting: “It’s really good that he’s behind it. The King is a very environmentally aware person and he’s really pulling people together here.”

Rosemary Coogan, the UK’s newest astronaut, met the King for the first time.

She said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to meet him and feel both from him and everybody in the room today the real passion. It’s such an important part of the space industry.

“It really does feel like the start of something huge. This is a subject we’ve been thinking about and talking about for a long time.”