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| Tim Peake's space station mission could put a rocket under Britain's economy | Tim Peake's space station mission could put a rocket under Britain's economy |
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| There is the urge to explore the endless heavens, there are the mysteries of the starry cosmos to solve, but above all there is the faltering economy to revive. | There is the urge to explore the endless heavens, there are the mysteries of the starry cosmos to solve, but above all there is the faltering economy to revive. |
| Of all the reasons nations give for sending their citizens into space, making money has always mattered. For British ministers, high hopes now rest on Tim Peake, the UK's first official astronaut, to inspire the next generation and boost further an industry that has defied gravity throughout the financial doldrums. | Of all the reasons nations give for sending their citizens into space, making money has always mattered. For British ministers, high hopes now rest on Tim Peake, the UK's first official astronaut, to inspire the next generation and boost further an industry that has defied gravity throughout the financial doldrums. |
| Major Peake, a former helicopter test pilot, was selected on Monday for a six-month mission to the International Space Station. The 41-year-old from Chichester, who joined the European Space Agency's astronaut corps in 2009, will blast off on board a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur cosmodrome in November 2015. | Major Peake, a former helicopter test pilot, was selected on Monday for a six-month mission to the International Space Station. The 41-year-old from Chichester, who joined the European Space Agency's astronaut corps in 2009, will blast off on board a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur cosmodrome in November 2015. |
| "I'm absolutely delighted by the decision," Peake told reporters at a press conference in London. "It really is a tremendous privilege to be assigned to a long-duration mission to the ISS." | "I'm absolutely delighted by the decision," Peake told reporters at a press conference in London. "It really is a tremendous privilege to be assigned to a long-duration mission to the ISS." |
| Britain's space industry is a rare success story, and one that ministers see as crucial to the rebalancing of the UK economy. Since 2007, it has grown more than 8% and now employs nearly 30,000 people. The rise of the industry has prompted the government to boost its funding for the European Space Agency in the hope of even greater returns. Britain now contributes £240m a year to ESA, from which it expects to make £1bn in orders for British businesses. | |
| For the next two and a half years, Peake will train as a flight engineer for the six-month mission, during which he will carry out scientific experiments in Europe's Columbus module, and be eligible for spacewalks. The experiments will investigate how life in space affects human physiology, research that could help understand the ageing process on Earth. For every month in orbit, astronauts lose 1% to 2% of their bone mass, and without exercise, their muscles weaken dramatically. | For the next two and a half years, Peake will train as a flight engineer for the six-month mission, during which he will carry out scientific experiments in Europe's Columbus module, and be eligible for spacewalks. The experiments will investigate how life in space affects human physiology, research that could help understand the ageing process on Earth. For every month in orbit, astronauts lose 1% to 2% of their bone mass, and without exercise, their muscles weaken dramatically. |
| Peake is the fourth of six astronauts who graduated from the European Astronaut Corps in 2010 to be assigned a mission to the International Space Station. He will fly to the station with two other crew, and join three already on board. | Peake is the fourth of six astronauts who graduated from the European Astronaut Corps in 2010 to be assigned a mission to the International Space Station. He will fly to the station with two other crew, and join three already on board. |
| The last mission to the space station saw the rise to fame of Commander Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to take charge of the ISS, and the first man in space wholly to embrace social media, photography and guitar-playing. His cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity, complete with microgravity guitar spins, went viral. | The last mission to the space station saw the rise to fame of Commander Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to take charge of the ISS, and the first man in space wholly to embrace social media, photography and guitar-playing. His cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity, complete with microgravity guitar spins, went viral. |
| Asked whether he intended to follow in Hadfield's footsteps, Peake said he would tweet, but perhaps not repeat the Canadian's virtuoso performances. "I do play the guitar, but very badly, and I wouldn't impose my singing on anybody," he said. | Asked whether he intended to follow in Hadfield's footsteps, Peake said he would tweet, but perhaps not repeat the Canadian's virtuoso performances. "I do play the guitar, but very badly, and I wouldn't impose my singing on anybody," he said. |
| Hinting at what might be to come, Peake confessed that a friend had offered to teach him the didgeridoo. | Hinting at what might be to come, Peake confessed that a friend had offered to teach him the didgeridoo. |
| He has trained on the US and Russian equipment he will use on board the space station, and practised for spacewalks in a huge swimming pool used to recreate some of the conditions in orbit. To prepare for life aboard, Peake spent a week in Sardinia living underground and another 12 days in an underwater laboratory off the coast of Florida. | He has trained on the US and Russian equipment he will use on board the space station, and practised for spacewalks in a huge swimming pool used to recreate some of the conditions in orbit. To prepare for life aboard, Peake spent a week in Sardinia living underground and another 12 days in an underwater laboratory off the coast of Florida. |
| Peake, who has a wife and two sons, aged four and a half and 18 months, said he expected to move his family to Houston, where Nasa's astronaut training centre is based. "Tim represents the very best of British. He will become a powerful role model for the young people we need to bolster this country's science and engineering workforce," said David Willetts, the science minister. "Not only will we have the first UK astronaut for over two decades, but Tim Peake will be the first ever Briton to carry out ground-breaking research on the International Space Station," he added. David Cameron said: "I am sure he will do us proud, and I hope that he will inspire the next generation to pursue exciting careers in science and engineering." | Peake, who has a wife and two sons, aged four and a half and 18 months, said he expected to move his family to Houston, where Nasa's astronaut training centre is based. "Tim represents the very best of British. He will become a powerful role model for the young people we need to bolster this country's science and engineering workforce," said David Willetts, the science minister. "Not only will we have the first UK astronaut for over two decades, but Tim Peake will be the first ever Briton to carry out ground-breaking research on the International Space Station," he added. David Cameron said: "I am sure he will do us proud, and I hope that he will inspire the next generation to pursue exciting careers in science and engineering." |
| In 1989, Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space when she flew to the Mir space station. As she had secured private funding she was not considered an official British astronaut. Three other British-born astronauts – Michael Foale, Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick – have also flown into space, but under the American flag. | In 1989, Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space when she flew to the Mir space station. As she had secured private funding she was not considered an official British astronaut. Three other British-born astronauts – Michael Foale, Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick – have also flown into space, but under the American flag. |
| "Whereas even just a decade ago, space was considered a 'nice-to-have' activity, today space has become critically important to the UK economy, our wellbeing and security," said Sir Martin Sweeting, chair of Surrey Satellite Technology, a world-leading manufacture of small satellites. | "Whereas even just a decade ago, space was considered a 'nice-to-have' activity, today space has become critically important to the UK economy, our wellbeing and security," said Sir Martin Sweeting, chair of Surrey Satellite Technology, a world-leading manufacture of small satellites. |
| "The UK has a very active and very successful space industry that needs the very best engineers, scientists and technicians to maintain its position in a competitive world," he added. "A UK astronaut will, undoubtedly, act as an inspiration and role model for young people, but the visible commitment by the UK to space that it represents will also strengthen the position of UK industry amongst our European partners and send a clear message to the international community that Britain is open for space business." | "The UK has a very active and very successful space industry that needs the very best engineers, scientists and technicians to maintain its position in a competitive world," he added. "A UK astronaut will, undoubtedly, act as an inspiration and role model for young people, but the visible commitment by the UK to space that it represents will also strengthen the position of UK industry amongst our European partners and send a clear message to the international community that Britain is open for space business." |