Ground control to Major Tim...

Click video. A former helicopter pilot has been named as one of the astronauts picked for a five-month mission in space. Major Tim Peake, from Sussex, is Britain's first official astronaut. He'll be flying to the International Space Station in two years' time. Fred reports.

ITV News Meridian's Fred Dinenage flew out to Germany to interview Major Tim Peake to find out what it takes to become an astronaut while he was training in 2010.

The 41-year-old agreed to show Fred around the European Space Agency's training facility because he was inspired to study science by the presenter's ITV programme 'How' as a child.

Fred will catch up with Tim on ITV News Meridian at 6pm on ITV in the South.

The UK's first official astronaut and former Apache helicopter pilot Major Tim Peake has given Prince Harry tips on going into space.

Maj Peake said that Harry, who is an Apache pilot, would make "a fantastic astronaut" but added that going into space had to "stem from a passion and desire to want to do it."

Read: Astronaut Chris Hadfield's highlights in space

Read: Astronaut records first ever music video in space

In 2010, ITV News Meridian's Fred Dinenage went to meet Major Tim Peake after he completed the first phrase of his training to go into space.

"It was absolutely a dream. For me as a test pilot, to become an astronaut is the absolute pinacle of that career" he told Fred.

"The view of the earth. Everyone says that is the most incredible thing to see".

"Learning Russian has been the toughest thing I have had to do. Your up there by yourself. There is no doctor, no engineer so you need to learn all of these skills".

Britain's first official astronaut Major Tim Peake said he would tweet from space like Chris Hadfield had done in a bid to "try and inspire a generation."

He added that he was "delighted" after being chosen to travel to space.

Read: Astronaut Chris Hadfield's highlights in space

UK astronaut Tim Peake has been given a date to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).

The date of the mission is yet to be made public but it will not be before 2015.

The European Space Agency (Esa) is to release the details and the date of his mission to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) later today.

Peake has been in training for an expedition to the ISS since 2009, and will fly aboard a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

He was a major and a helicopter pilot in the British Army Air Corps.

Once in orbit Peake will help to maintain the 27,000km/h platform and carry out science experiments in Esa's Columbus laboratory module

The UK Space Agency has announced that Major Tim Peake, who is set to become the first official Briton astronaut in space, is set to fly to the International Space Station in November 2015.

Read: Astronaut Chris Hadfield's highlights in space