British astronaut Tim Peake hails possibility of first all-UK mission to space
Could the first all-UK mission to space be on the cards? ITV News' Ben Chapman has the latest
In the history of British astronaut Tim Peake hinted he would come out of retirement after the news of an "exciting" all-UK mission to space.
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has signed an agreement with US-based company Axiom Space which could see the first UK astronaut only mission be launched.
The Britons would be spending up to two weeks in orbit carrying out scientific research, demonstrating new technologies and participating in education and outreach activities.
At the start of the year it was announced that Major Peake would be retiring from his role as a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut.
But he joked, “I don’t think I’ve ever been in retirement,” when asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if he would make a comeback.
Major Peake added: “It is a very exciting development – there is a lot happening in the space sector right now and I think for the UK to be at the forefront of this new era of exploring commercial opportunities is a fantastic thing.”
He acknowledged there were several hurdles to overcome before the idea is finalised, including crew selection and training and getting approval from Nasa, but said it was hugely encouraging that the UKSA had “started the ball rolling”.
Maj Peake continued: “The International Space Station will come to its retirement at the end of this decade and new commercial space stations will take over, so for us to be involved at this level at this early stage is something that we should really celebrate.”
UK universities, research institutions and industry are being called on to share their ideas for experiments and technology demonstrators which could be conducted during a two-week period.
Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “It takes thousands of people to complete a crewed space mission and return the astronauts safely home, highlighting the huge variety of careers available in the UK space sector right now.
“There is much to do, and this agreement is the springboard for the UK Space Agency, Axiom Space and the mission sponsors to assess how we best push forward the frontiers of knowledge and innovation, and showcase the power of space to improve lives on Earth.”
The announcement came as science minister George Freeman was due to open the London Stock Exchange and speak about opportunities to bring further investment into the UK space sector.
Mr Freeman said: “The prospect of a historic UK mission with Axiom Space has the potential to inspire a whole new generation to reach for the stars, while supporting our efforts to build one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world, so I look forward to seeing the next stage of this exploratory work develop.
“We want to put the UK at the forefront of the global race for commercial space investment, continue to support scientists and engineers to test new technologies and carry out important research and, ultimately, bring the benefits back to people and businesses across the country.”
The UK Space Agency is working with Axiom – which provides full-service orbital missions, conducting end-to-end crewed missions to the International Space Station – on plans for a commercial mission with the full support of the European Space Agency.
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