Published: May 20, 2009
British Astronaut selected for ESA Astronaut Corps
Comment from University of Leicester:
Further to the announcement that a British astronaut has been selected onto the European Space Agency's (ESA) Astronaut Corps, Professor Martin Barstow, Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester said:
"We are very pleased that a British astronaut has at last been selected for the ESA programme. Participation in space exploration is a realistic aspiration for young people in the UK and we hope this success will encourage increasing numbers to follow science careers. This exciting development was anticipated by the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester, which launched a new programme on Human Space Flight, led by former NASA astronaut Professor Jeff Hoffman, in 2008.
"The selection of a British astronaut is a welcome success for the UK but will produce a political headache for the government, as the UK does not contribute to the ESA human space flight programme. We hope this will be an opportunity to change the current policy and for Britain to become active in the Human Space Flight arena."
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