International Space Station (ISS) Commander Alexander Skvortsov responded to a love letter he received in space from a 17-year-old girl from Moscow.
The young girl sent a letter to the 44-year-old cosmonaut under the ISS mailbox campaign. With permission from the girl, her parents and Skvortsov himself, RIA Novosti has published parts of the cosmonaut's reply.
"Of course, I am flattered, as every normal man would be; however, I became a bit confused when I received a letter from a 17-year-old girl. I realize that it is ok to have a crush on famous people at [her] age, but I never expected to become an object of the girl's affectation, so much the more I have a daughter at almost this age," Skvortsov wrote.
"Although, if speaking seriously, I believe the girl's enthusiastic attitude is concerned with space rather than with me personally," the cosmonaut said.
The young Muscovite, who fell in love with Skvortsov, attended his launch into space. "Even adults cry when they see [carrier] rockets soar up into the sky. And here's a young girl, a rocket, a launch, a huge crowd of people, the crew in spotlight... Her admiration was inexpressible. In this situation her [love of] choice was made just by chance," Skvortsov wrote.
"I am happy that an astronaut has become the girl's superhero, I mean the profession as a whole, not me in particular," he wrote.
If young people show interest in space now, mankind will probably continue exploring the Universe throughout the years, the cosmonaut wrote. "And maybe some day will go far beyond."
However, the cosmonaut did not give the girl his personal e-mail or ICQ.
MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti)
