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

UK's first official astronaut says he 'misses the view of planet Earth'

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.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"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.