British astronaut Tim Peake apologises on Twitter after misdialling a woman from space

A LUCKY woman just got an accidental Christmas call from space after astronaut Tim Peake misdialled her number.

Britain's astronaut Tim Peake gestures as his space suit is tested at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS), on December 15, 2015. Russia's Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 46/47 crew of Britain's astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra is scheduled to blast off to the ISS on December 15, 2015. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

A LUCKY woman just got an accidental call from space after astronaut Tim Peake misdialled her phone number.

The British Major, presumably trying to ring his loved ones to exchange Christmas well-wishes from the International Space Station, apologised on Twitter for his blooper after he greeted the stranger with, “Hello, is this planet Earth?”.

Peake, 43, sheepishly apologised on Twitter and insisted he was not playing a joke.

I'd like to apologise to the lady I just called by mistake saying 'Hello, is this planet Earth?' - not a prank call...just a wrong number!

— Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) December 24, 2015

This misdial wasn’t Peake’s first phone mishap. Earlier this week, the space traveller was forced to leave a voicemail on his parents’ answering machine when they missed his call.

Followers reacted to his latest blunder with a mixture of humour and envy.

@astro_timpeake Was it @Adele? #ISS #Hello pic.twitter.com/QPOvfjAkxz

— Ashley Bard (@AshleyBard) December 24, 2015

@astro_timpeake possibly the best space tweet ever. Happy Christmas Tim

— Clara K. Showalter (@ckshowalter) December 24, 2015

@astro_timpeake Lol brilliant I would love to have had a call from you from there. Merry Christmas to you all on the #ISS

— Wendi (@cheetah62) December 24, 2015

@astro_timpeake @MikeGurd1 does that make you the first person ever to make a misdialled call from outer space ?

— Bernard Boorman (@camraman40) December 24, 2015

@astro_timpeake there has to be permanent British astronaut position on ISS for a comic relief. Stay safe!

— Butch Cevik (@ButchCevik) December 25, 2015

A little earlier, Peake had wished all his followers a merry Christmas alongside a snap of Earth.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas eve down there. You're looking good from up here! #Principia pic.twitter.com/8O50l7ZWzL

— Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) December 24, 2015