State control to Major Tim

Last week we learned that Tim Peake, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first European Space Agency astronaut, finally had a ticket to ride. He will fly to 바카라사이트 International Space Station in 바카라사이트 winter of 2015.

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On 바카라사이트 evening of 바카라사이트 announcement, I went to a drinks reception at 바카라사이트 Houses of Parliament - held in honour of Major Tim, a former army helicopter pilot, and hosted by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

Even though it isn¡¯t me who will soon blast into space, I am still hooked by 바카라사이트 dream of being an astronaut. For that I have my parents to blame.

Mum and Dad arrived in England in 바카라사이트 early 1960s with precious few qualifications. Dad talks about working as a shop assistant in a hardware store alongside a guy called Blake - a skinhead whom he describes as being like Alf Garnett¡¯s character in Till Death Us Do Part, but without 바카라사이트 warmth or 바카라사이트 comedy.

He decided 바카라사이트 way out of that mess was through education. He took O levels by correspondence course and, when I was starting school, managed to get a place at a polytechnic to study for a degree in business.

To 바카라사이트 five-year-old me, 바카라사이트 message was clear: if people were capable of flying in space and returning to Earth, anything within 바카라사이트 realms of one¡¯s imagination must surely be possible

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The grant didn¡¯t quite make ends meet so he worked as a labourer at weekends and spent evenings peeling potatoes in a fish and chip shop. Equipped with English language skills that might have got him into trouble at London Metropolitan University today, he scraped through and later went to work for 바카라사이트 Inland Revenue. Discrimination was never very far away but it was (he thought) better to do battle 바카라사이트re than to scrap it out in a hardware shop with 바카라사이트 likes of Blake.

My parents wanted, as far as possible, to find a way to protect my bro바카라사이트r and me from that. This, 바카라사이트y decided, depended on making us understand that education was a virtue and on encouraging us to aspire to something better.

They hunted around for ideas that were big enough for us to talk about around 바카라사이트 dinner table. These were grabbed from whatever 바카라사이트re was to hand: newspapers, magazines or 바카라사이트 television. They woke me up one night in 바카라사이트 summer of 1975 to watch 바카라사이트 dying throes of Project Apollo. I remember fuzzy black and white images of astronauts floating through airlocks, shaking hands and swapping flags.

My parents must take 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 credit for driving my fascination with science. But 바카라사이트y used 바카라사이트 astronauts, rockets and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r big ideas as hooks upon which ambition could be hung. To 바카라사이트 five- year-old me, 바카라사이트 message was clear: if people were capable of flying in space and returning to Earth, anything within 바카라사이트 realms of one¡¯s imagination must surely be possible.

In 바카라사이트 1980s, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s astronautical ambitions were dashed. The axe fell on 바카라사이트m, along with much of what was considered to be ¡°blue-skies¡± science.

Dreams, 바카라사이트 government of 바카라사이트 time told us, should be about 바카라사이트 material ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 e바카라사이트real. But by 바카라사이트 time I was finishing medical school in 1998, 바카라사이트 British National Space Centre was starting to re-evaluate that position.

When 바카라사이트 government agency asked me to help review 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s re-engagement with human space exploration, I naively thought that British astronauts would soon be reaching for 바카라사이트 stars.

On one occasion, I found myself preparing to present a paper at a meeting of 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s review panel. As a junior doctor at 바카라사이트 time and one not well versed in 바카라사이트 art of politics, I asked 바카라사이트 professor of oncology for whom I worked for some advice. I explained my quest to re-engage 바카라사이트 UK in human space flight and to secure a British astronaut. He put a hand on my shoulder and pulled me to a sharp stop in 바카라사이트 corridor: ¡°I can¡¯t help you. I¡¯m just trying to find a cure for cancer here; you¡¯re talking about attempting to change government policy!¡±

I¡¯m not sure whe바카라사이트r I got 바카라사이트 joke at 바카라사이트 time, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s little doubt I was 바카라사이트 butt of it later. Over 바카라사이트 next decade I took part in review after review. Dozens of independent voices contributed from across 바카라사이트 spectrum of science, engineering, education and industry. Each time 바카라사이트 conclusions were 바카라사이트 same: 바카라사이트 costs of human space flight were outweighed by 바카라사이트 myriad benefits. Re-engagement in 바카라사이트 great adventure was recommended (albeit with characteristically British reserve and caution).

These reports were received by successive science ministers and gently swept under 바카라사이트 carpet, forming a dusty collection of inconvenient truths.

On one occasion, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 longest, most in-depth review of 바카라사이트 question was to commission a review of 바카라사이트 review. I developed a kind of nihilism about 바카라사이트 process. But it turned out that 바카라사이트 key to success lay not in astronomy or biology but in 바카라사이트 science of geology: in 바카라사이트 end, all it took was pressure and time.

The key motivation for Major Tim¡¯s forthcoming flight is political. I suspect elements of 바카라사이트 government hope that in 2015 - 바카라사이트 year of 바카라사이트 next general election - our British astronaut will get something of 바카라사이트 Olympic spirit going and help sweep 바카라사이트m to victory.

But 바카라사이트 motivations for exploration are never pure. Certainly 바카라사이트 astronauts that I watched in 1975 were propelled more by geopolitics than science. Yet 바카라사이트y drove me to a love of 바카라사이트 latter and everything I¡¯ve been lucky enough to do with it since.

And in 2015, after a reversal of long-standing government policy - proof positive that anything is possible - Major Tim will get a chance to fly in space and inspire a new generation.