"The first ( and probably last) British astronaut.
Worth a gong for that.
He wasn't the first. The first was a lady. "
The UK has never had a manned space flight programme . Tim Peake is a one- off.
1. Helen Sharman.
Technically not a British Astronaut. British Nationality, yes, and was due to have her space flight paid for by British industry consortium. They eventually couldn't ( didn't) find the money so the Russians let her have a free ride. So she was effectively a Russian astronaut. She was a space tourist.
2. Micheal Foale is the most well known one, ( six shuttle missions and 364 days total in Space) . However, he is dual Nationality, and was in Space as a US citizen and NASA employee .
7 " Brits" have been to space, all except Sharman and Peake have been dual nationality. One was dual nationality South African/Brit, and was a space tourist with Soyuz, the others are dual nationality UK/US, and are or were NASA astronauts as US citizens.
Tom Peake is the first non dual nationality Brit to go into space as a professional astronaut. All the rest have been either dual nationality UK/US NASA employees, or space tourists.
It is unlikely that the UK will ever include astronauts in its space programme again. Tom Peake forced the UK 's hand. He left the army to apply to the European Space Agency and won a place . So he had minimal UK government support .The UK has already said it won't do it again.
To get to be an astronaut, Brits will need to be space tourists, or take dual nationality in a country that has a manned space programme, or app my to the ESA and see if they can join.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The first ( and probably last) British astronaut.
Worth a gong for that.
He wasn't the first. The first was a lady.
The UK has never had a manned space flight programme . Tim Peake is a one- off.
1. Helen Sharman.
Technically not a British Astronaut. British Nationality, yes, and was due to have her space flight paid for by British industry consortium. They eventually couldn't ( didn't) find the money so the Russians let her have a free ride. So she was effectively a Russian astronaut. She was a space tourist.
2. Micheal Foale is the most well known one, ( six shuttle missions and 364 days total in Space) . However, he is dual Nationality, and was in Space as a US citizen and NASA employee .
7 " Brits" have been to space, all except Sharman and Peake have been dual nationality. One was dual nationality South African/Brit, and was a space tourist with Soyuz, the others are dual nationality UK/US, and are or were NASA astronauts as US citizens.
Tom Peake is the first non dual nationality Brit to go into space as a professional astronaut. All the rest have been either dual nationality UK/US NASA employees, or space tourists.
It is unlikely that the UK will ever include astronauts in its space programme again. Tom Peake forced the UK 's hand. He left the army to apply to the European Space Agency and won a place . So he had minimal UK government support .The UK has already said it won't do it again.
To get to be an astronaut, Brits will need to be space tourists, or take dual nationality in a country that has a manned space programme, or app my to the ESA and see if they can join.
"
To call Helen Sharman a space tourist is totally disingenuous 
Not only did she enter the program on her scientific background and qualifications; winning her seat on merit; passing the most rigorous of training; she also did it on Russian technology 
That alone takes more balls than anything else  |
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By *isaB45Woman
over a year ago
Fabville |
Tim Peake will have worked bloody hard to earn his place on the ISS. While there, he has conducted himself commendably, he has done a lot of valuble scientific research, and has got children all over the country engaged in science, engineering and technology.
So, I take my hat off to him, and congratulate him on his award. |
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