Tim Peake

Tim Peake is a British astronaut and former British Army Air Corps officer. He is the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and the sixth person born in the United Kingdom to go into space.

Early life and education

Timothy Nigel Peake was born on 7 April 1972 in Chichester, West Sussex, England. He attended the Chichester High School for Boys and later studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Military career

After graduating from Sandhurst in 1992, Peake was commissioned as an officer in the British Army Air Corps. He served in various capacities, including as a reconnaissance pilot and flight commander. He left the military in 2009 with the rank of major.

Astronaut career

In 2009, Peake was selected as a candidate by the European Space Agency (ESA) for its astronaut training programme. He completed his training in 2010 and was officially selected as an ESA astronaut in 2011.

Peake's first mission to space was on 15 December 2015, when he launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. He spent six months aboard the ISS, conducting various scientific experiments and outreach activities.

Personal life

Peake is married and has two children. He is a keen runner and has completed several marathons, including running the London Marathon from space.

Honours and awards

Peake has received several honours and awards for his contributions to space exploration, including the Queen's Birthday Honours and the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

See also

• List of European astronauts
• British space programme