Pope to call space station in papal first

Vatican City: Pope Benedict XVI will be in satellite contact with two Italian astronauts aboard the International Space Station in what would be the first papal call to space.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano reported Friday that the hookup will happen on May 4 after shuttle Endeavour docks with the station. Liftoff is set for next Friday.

Two Italian astronauts will be meeting up on the space station. Roberto Vittori will be aboard the shuttle and Paolo Nespoli is a space station resident.

Vittori will be carrying a silver medal donated by the pope. Others on the space station are Russian and American.