UK Astronaut Selected To Fly To ISS

UK astronaut Tim Peake is to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).

Peake, who was a major and helicopter pilot in the British Army Air Corps, has been in training for an expedition to the ISS since 2009. He is the only Briton to date to be accepted into the European Astronaut Corps.

The date of the mission has yet to be disclosed, but it is thought it will not be until 2015.

The European Space Agency (Esa) will release the details later on Monday.

Peake has undergone 14 months of rigorous training, which has included survival courses and exercises under water and underground. Almost three years after graduating, he will complete a five-month mission on the ISS.

Once in orbit, tasks will include helping to maintain the 27,000km/h platform and carrying out science experiments in Esa's Columbus laboratory module, which is attached to the front of the 400-tonne complex.

While British-born adventurers have been into space before, they have done so either through the US space agency (NASA) as American citizens or on private ventures organised with the assistance of the Russian space agency. Peake will officially be the first British astronaut.

Speaking after his selection, Peake said: "I applied to become an astronaut with the European Space Agency because I believe for me it's a unique opportunity in my life to become part of a team that can have such a positive impact on society.

"I believe humankind faces some enormous challenges this century, and the space arena is going to be fundamental in overcoming some of those challenges."

ISS commander, Canadian Chris Hadfield recently returned to Earth following a period on the station, and attracted a large following for his tweets, videos and songs from the platform.

(JP/MH)