Not-so-final frontier: Astronaut Tim Peake to return to space

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British astronaut Tim Peake plans to return to space, saying he "misses" the view of planet Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).

In a surprise announcement today, Peake said he and his colleagues are to make a second trip to the ISS.

He said: "It's what every astronaut wants to do. It is only natural to want to return.

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"The one thing you miss is the view of planet Earth, of course. It is the most spectacular thing you can possibly see. But also being involved in the space programme is hugely rewarding."

Peake made his announcement during a visit to the Science Museum in London today to unveil the spacecraft that transported him back home last June, following his six-month stint on the ISS.

Russia's Soyuz capsule is the first manned spacecraft to feature in the museum collection and still bears the scorch marks from its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

Business Secretary Greg Clark, who was at the ceremony, said: "The space sector is an important and growing part of the UK space agency."

Sussex-born Peake served in the army for 17 years, where he qualified as a helicopter pilot and left as a major in 2009. He gained international fame when he was chosen for the space mission and became the UK's first official astronaut.