ESA astronaut Timothy Peake set for Space Station

ESA's Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, announced today that ESA astronaut Timothy Peake has been proposed to fly to the International Space Station in 2015.

The decision was taken during the meeting of the ISS Multilateral Crew Operations Panel on Friday, 17 May.

"When we recruited the six new ESA astronauts in May 2009, I made a promise to secure flight opportunities for all of them. Thanks to the decisions of the Member States at the Ministerial Council last November, we will be able to fulfil our commitment to fly all six newly selected astronauts before the end of 2017.

"The first three astronauts already had their missions assigned. Today I am very happy to announce the assignment of Timothy Peake for a mission to the International Space Station. The two remaining astronauts, Andreas Mogensen and Thomas Pesquet, will be assigned before mid-2015 for flights at the latest in 2017."

Timothy Peake will join the crew of Expedition 46/47 for six months in 2015. He will be the first British citizen to live and work on the Space Station and it will be the eighth long-duration mission for an ESA astronaut.

Timothy's classmate ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is preparing for launch to the orbital outpost on 28 May. Timothy's mission will follow those of ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Samantha Cristoforetti, both scheduled for launch in 2014.

"The value of Europe's astronauts and the training given at the European Astronaut Centre is reflected in the large number of mission assignments awarded to ESA astronauts," notes Thomas Reiter, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations.

A former helicopter test pilot and Major in the British Army, Timothy is thrilled with his assignment: "I am delighted to be proposed for a long-duration mission to the International Space Station. This is another important mission for Europe and in particular a wonderful opportunity for European science, industry and education to benefit from microgravity research.

"Since joining the European Astronaut Corps in 2009, I have been training to work on the Station and I am extremely grateful to the ground support teams who make it possible for us to push the boundaries of knowledge through human spaceflight and exploration."

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ESA astronaut Timothy Peake set for Space Station