Exactly one decade after his historic launch to the International Space Station, British astronaut Tim Peake has shared profound reflections on life in orbit and his bold vision for the future of public space travel, including the potential for ultra-fast global journeys.
A Decade of Inspiration: From ISS to the Science Museum
This Monday, 15 December 2025, at 11:03 am, marks the precise moment ten years ago that Major Tim Peake blasted into space. To commemorate the anniversary, a mass paper rocket launch will be staged at the London Science Museum. The weekend will feature a day of free activities hosted by Peake himself on Sunday, followed by a live lesson broadcast to schools across the UK from the museum on Monday.
"There will be explosive live shows and kids can learn how to send a rocket up into space," said Peake, now 53, who remains a passionate ambassador for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). His 2015 mission engaged over 2 million schoolchildren across Europe in numerous projects.
Recalling the launch from Kazakhstan on 15 December 2015, Peake described the intense shift from the bustling crowds to the silent confines of the Soyuz rocket. He flew alongside Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra. "Inside the capsule, when the hatch closes - that's the moment when everything shifts," he recalled. "It's just three people crammed in like sardines in a tin."
The 'Absolutely Spectacular' Reality of Life in Orbit
Peake, the first Briton to complete a spacewalk on the ISS, described the experience as "absolutely spectacular." He emphasised the unparalleled view of Earth as the most special aspect. "It's awe-inspiring, seeing the Milky Way rise - 200 billion stars of our own galaxy," he said.
His spacewalk in January 2016 left an indelible mark. "The feeling of danger is palpable. You're in this environment you're not supposed to be in - but it's also incredibly beautiful, peaceful and tranquil," Peake recounted. The experience cemented his view of Earth's fragility. "Being in space taught me that this planet is the most beautiful planet I've ever seen... it makes you realise we need to look after it."
Among his other extraordinary feats was running the London Marathon in 2016 while strapped to the ISS treadmill with a bungee harness. He completed it in 3 hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds, though he admits it was harder than running on Earth due to the restrictive harness and narrow treadmill.
The Future: Commercial Stations and 45-Minute Global Flights
With the International Space Station set for deorbiting in 2031, Peake anticipates a new era of commercial space stations. While space tourism exists, with figures like Katy Perry joining an all-female crew in April 2025, Peake advocates for space's use for broader scientific benefit.
However, he draws a compelling parallel with aviation history. "Back in the 1920s and 30s, it was only very wealthy people flying across the Atlantic. Today it's affordable for a much larger percentage of the population," he noted.
Peake made a stunning prediction about the long-term future of transportation: "In 100 years time we could be seeing a transportation system that would get you from London to Sydney in 45 minutes [via space] and it could be affordable for a large percentage of people." He suggested that today's space tourism by the wealthy may be seen as merely the beginning of a revolutionary travel revolution.
As for imminent missions, Peake highlighted NASA's Artemis II, a crewed lunar flyby mission targeted for early 2026, as a key next step in human space exploration.
