WESTBOURNE VILLAGE ASTRONAUT

Ground Control To Major Tim

British astronaut Tim Peake has said he hopes his space mission will generate similar excitement in the UK to the US moon missions.

He is preparing to jet to the International Space Station in December 2015  as the first British citizen to be selected for astronaut training by European Space Agency. The Chichester-born astronaut told the BBC he hoped his mission would inspire children into space exploration, engineering and science. Asked if he expected to rekindle public enthusiasm to the level of the Apollo missions of the 1960’s and 70’s, he said: "I hope it does have an effect like that to some degree."

And he added: "I was really keen that we make the absolute most of this mission to encourage students and young people to get involved in technology and engineering, and to study STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects that will set them up for future careers in those industries.

"I think it is really important to reach out to our younger generation and to try to encourage them to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics as subjects. We have a skills shortage at the moment, and we desperately need more graduates with those backgrounds."

Tim will embark for a six month stay on the space station on December 15. During his mission he will perform more than 30 experiments for the ESA as well as participating in many others.

Major Peake, 42, a former Army helicopter pilot, joined the space agency in September 2009 and completed his basic training in November 2010. His forthcoming mission has been called Principia, after Sir Isaac Newton's historic text Naturalis Principia Mathematica, describing the principal laws of motion and gravity. Travelling with him will be NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. Source: http://www.theargus.co.uk

Astronaut or cosmonaut?

In English-speaking nations, a professional space traveller is called an astronaut. The term derives from the Greek words ástron meaning "star", and nautes, meaning "sailor".

By convention, an astronaut employed by the Russian Federal Space Agency is called a cosmonaut in English texts.  The word is an anglicisation of the Russian word kosmonavt  one who works in space outside the Earth's atmosphere. A space traveller which derives from the Greek words kosmos meaning "universe", and nautes , meaning "sailor".

The man set to become the first Briton to visit the International Space Station (ISS) has revealed he will be listening to Coldplay, Queen and U2 during his last moments on earth. While Tim Peake makes his final checks before the launch on Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, he will be enjoying his 'rocket music'. He will be listening to Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, Beautiful Day by U2 and A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay.The legendary tracks are among his play list of 117 songs he will have access to on the space station, including I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas and Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters.

TIM PEAKE MISSION

How Major Peake will prevent his cup of  tea floating away from him on his five-month mission in space