As a result of playing the Doctor three decades ago, occasionally opportunities are offered to me that others might rightly envy.

I can’t imagine that many people would refuse the offer of a guided tour of NASA Mission Control Centre in Houston. So when this was offered to me while I was there last week, I leaped at the chance.

I was attending a science fiction fan event as a guest with Paul McGann, who played the eighth Doctor. We were treated to a privileged ‘backstage’ tour guided by an actual, for-real astronaut. Michael Fincke served two tours aboard the International Space Station as a flight engineer and commander. Fluent in Japanese and Russian, he logged just under 382 days in space, placing him first among American astronauts for the most time in space. He completed nine spacewalks with a total EVA [extra-vehicular activity] time of 48 hours and 37 minutes, placing him sixth on the all-time list of spacewalkers. I mention these facts because it makes it doubly impressive that he was prepared to take the time to whole-heartedly guide us round the modules and landing craft, the control rooms and training areas at NASA. It was a huge privilege and very humbling for we who pretend feats of derring-do to meet a real modern hero, and one so self-deprecating and charming. We spent three magical hours which included sitting at the desk of the Mission Controller in the old ‘analogue’ control room used for the moon missions in the 60s and in the pilot seat of a module. You don’t have to be a techie or a geek to realise that was a ‘wow’ moment.

It was heartening to learn that while those in political power in the Kremlin and the White House may be glaring somewhat balefully at each other at the moment, the astronauts and cosmonauts remain good friends and both scientific communities are fully committed to their joint ventures. Apparently looking down at our big (but small) planet from space focuses the mind and serves to demonstrate the unimportance of borders. We were also told about the exciting Orion project later this year which may eventually take men to Mars.

I was left with an abiding relief that those clever, brave, resourceful and dedicated people are still reaching for the stars – and offering a glimmer of hope for the long-term future of humanity.

If humanity ever deserves a future.