ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION

An astronaut has said goodbye to life on the International Space Station by making a cover version of David Bowie's Space Oddity.

Commander Chris Hadfield has built up hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter by posting photographs of the earth from space.

But the music video could prove to be his most popular contribution yet.

The Canadian, who will fly home today as his five-month mission comes to an end, is shown playing an acoustic guitar and singing Bowie's classic Space Oddity.

The astronaut wrote on Twitter: "With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here's Space Oddity, recorded on Station. A last glimpse of the World."

Bowie replied: "Hallo Spaceboy."

Before going into orbit, Hadfield said playing music was an important aspect of ttaking care of the "psychological side" of living in space.