:00:00. > :00:11.Now on BBC News, the British astronaut Tim Peake has been
:00:12. > :00:14.I've had a chance to look back at some of the photographs
:00:15. > :00:17.and the select on the mission, and it was a truly
:00:18. > :00:21.Several highlights, just arrival on the space station and suddenly
:00:22. > :00:25.floating through to this area that was really familiar.
:00:26. > :00:32.The space walk was definitely probably the greatest highlight.
:00:33. > :00:36.Glad to see you both up there together on the tip
:00:37. > :00:41.Tim, welcome back. Thank you.
:00:42. > :00:44.How does it feel to be back? Was it everything you hoped for?
:00:45. > :00:45.It was everything and more, definitely.
:00:46. > :00:48.The space station is a remarkable place to live and work.
:00:49. > :00:54.Always being challenged, you are never bored,
:00:55. > :01:01.Tim Peake is Britain's first publicly funded astronaut.
:01:02. > :01:04.For just over six months, he was a crew member on board
:01:05. > :01:10.Carrying out experiments in microgravity.
:01:11. > :01:15.And inspiring the next generation of scientists.
:01:16. > :01:19.All while travelling at 17,000 miles an hour
:01:20. > :01:24.Thank you, European Space Agency and TES.
:01:25. > :01:27.We are now resuming operational audio communications.
:01:28. > :01:32.When you first get up into space, you are looking down
:01:33. > :01:36.and you are just trying to work out where you are and try to get used
:01:37. > :01:41.I caught up with Tim at the European Astronaut Centre
:01:42. > :01:43.in Cologne, Germany, where he completed
:01:44. > :01:52.And he showed me around a replica space station module,
:01:53. > :01:54.similar to where he had lived and worked.
:01:55. > :01:56.I can't imagine that you are going to be able
:01:57. > :02:04.Just arrival on the space station and suddenly floating
:02:05. > :02:07.through to this area that feels really familiar because you have
:02:08. > :02:09.trained for so long in modules that are so accurate.
:02:10. > :02:15.But to be floating around in this place and then to go to the first
:02:16. > :02:18.view of planet Earth on board the space station.
:02:19. > :02:20.The space walk was evidently probably the greatest highlight.
:02:21. > :02:23.But also things like capturing the Dragon spacecraft,
:02:24. > :02:25.the visiting vehicle that I had to capture.
:02:26. > :02:28.That was really a very demanding moment.
:02:29. > :02:30.So, I was really very happy to do that.
:02:31. > :02:37.Was there ever a moment when you thought,
:02:38. > :02:40.I just want to go home? I want to come back early?
:02:41. > :02:44.In fact, the mission got extended once while we were up there.
:02:45. > :02:47.We were extended for a further two weeks and towards the end
:02:48. > :02:50.of the mission, there was the potential that we were going
:02:51. > :02:53.to get extended again for a further two weeks because of the delays
:02:54. > :02:56.And on both occasions, myself and the other crew
:02:57. > :03:14.What was the biggest challenge for you?
:03:15. > :03:19.For me, I would have thought, actually, not being able to touch
:03:20. > :03:22.grass, or go out and feel the sun on my face.
:03:23. > :03:25.What was the biggest challenge for you up there?
:03:26. > :03:31.The biggest challenge is actually just being a good crew member,
:03:32. > :03:34.and that means managing your time, being efficient, making sure that
:03:35. > :03:39.You might be working for 30 minutes one morning on some small experiment
:03:40. > :03:43.but there are hundreds of people, that is their experiment,
:03:44. > :03:46.and they have spent hours and hours and hours, and it is
:03:47. > :03:50.So, it might just be 30 minutes but you cannot afford
:03:51. > :03:54.The biggest challenge is really just being on top of your game
:03:55. > :04:01.Thankfully, I didn't make any mistakes that damaged science so,
:04:02. > :04:09.Was that strange seeing your family and friends for the first time?
:04:10. > :04:12.Because you had been away and whenever it you are a out
:04:13. > :04:14.of your natural environment, you learn to be independent
:04:15. > :04:17.and do different things and almost put them in a box,
:04:18. > :04:20.What is it like reintegrating with The Family?
:04:21. > :04:22.You know, it has been remarkably easy.
:04:23. > :04:24.I think part of that is because I have had such great
:04:25. > :04:27.contact with my family whilst I was on board the space station.
:04:28. > :04:30.Once a week, I would have a video conference with them.
:04:31. > :04:33.And I was able to phone my wife whenever I wanted to.
:04:34. > :04:35.You feel very close connection, anyway, to the family.
:04:36. > :04:37.Of course, especially with two young children,
:04:38. > :04:42.reintegrating hike in, it takes a little bit of a while,
:04:43. > :04:45.Does Daddy rule the nest? With the kids?
:04:46. > :04:48.I don't think Daddy has ever ruled the nest back home.
:04:49. > :04:52.It is definitely great to be back as a family.
:04:53. > :04:55.And are you back in the routine of putting the trash out, etc?
:04:56. > :04:58.Right from the word go, yes. So, no special treatment at home?
:04:59. > :05:02.You are just daddy and husband? Absolutely, yeah.
:05:03. > :05:21.What did you learn about yourself that surprised you,
:05:22. > :05:23.being on the International Space Station for six months?
:05:24. > :05:27.I'm not sure I've really learned anything new about myself.
:05:28. > :05:30.I think partly because of what we go through in preparation
:05:31. > :05:32.for the mission, and of course, our previous careers.
:05:33. > :05:36.It is a wonderful opportunity to get into space, it is a unique
:05:37. > :05:39.perspective to look down on the Earth, but, really,
:05:40. > :05:42.I think in terms of my character and my personality, I don't think it
:05:43. > :05:52.Tim was chosen from more than 8,000 applicants for the job.
:05:53. > :05:54.He had responded to an ad posted by the European Space
:05:55. > :05:58.I've primarily been flying the Apache helicopter
:05:59. > :06:02.for ten years and I've got about over 3000 hours.
:06:03. > :06:07.At the time, he was a test pilot for a helicopter
:06:08. > :06:10.firm and before that, he had spent 18 years
:06:11. > :06:14.in the military, mostly flying helicopters.
:06:15. > :06:16.The astronauts screening process took a year.
:06:17. > :06:20.His intense basic training lasted another 14 months.
:06:21. > :06:24.After that, there was more advanced training to prepare him for life
:06:25. > :06:33.So, Tim, I've got into your sleeping den.
:06:34. > :06:39.Yes, this is an astronaut's living quarter.
:06:40. > :06:42.It is actually a little bit larger than the one on board.
:06:43. > :06:47.So, this is like a king-size deluxe bedroom, is it?
:06:48. > :06:51.We would have a couple of computers here that we would be able
:06:52. > :06:53.to work on, photographs of friends and family.
:06:54. > :06:57.Were there any moments you thought, that could be something different?
:06:58. > :07:11.That could be something otherworldly?
:07:12. > :07:15.You do see some strange things, but normally, like everything,
:07:16. > :07:22.I saw a couple of meteors coming into Earth which is really
:07:23. > :07:26.You don't normally see lights out in space during the daytime.
:07:27. > :07:29.You see the stars at night but during the daytime, you don't
:07:30. > :07:35.One time, I could see a couple of lights passing by the space
:07:36. > :07:38.station that looked like either satellites or fast moving objects,
:07:39. > :07:42.which was really quite strange, I had never seen that before.
:07:43. > :07:46.So, I called one of my other crew mates over and we had a look out
:07:47. > :07:51.Then, we realised it wasn't far away from the space station it was quite
:07:52. > :07:54.close to the space station, and it was in fact small droplets
:07:55. > :07:56.of liquid that were leaking out of the progress module,
:07:57. > :07:58.and they were passing, the sunlight was reflecting
:07:59. > :08:03.So, like I said, everything that is unusual normally has
:08:04. > :08:22.I read that there are something like 500 films that have been played
:08:23. > :08:23.in the International Space Station since 1998.
:08:24. > :08:25.So, you get some downtime.
:08:26. > :08:31.Did you watch any films like Alien or, I don't know,
:08:32. > :08:34.Gravity, or Moon, while you were out there?
:08:35. > :08:37.You are working very hard and it is nice to come
:08:38. > :08:40.Also, you are working individually a lot.
:08:41. > :08:43.So, once a week, it is nice to come together with your passion
:08:44. > :08:46.colleagues and have a movie or have a shared meal together.
:08:47. > :08:49.With Scott Kelly, when he was commander, when we first got
:08:50. > :08:52.on board, he had been staving the new Star Wars for us,
:08:53. > :08:55.so that was one of the first movies we watched.
:08:56. > :08:58.It was great, just to make it a special evening on board
:08:59. > :09:02.So, movie night with popcorn, which I imagine would be floating.
:09:03. > :09:04.Of all the things to be in near zero gravity environment,
:09:05. > :09:06.though perhaps not the ideal food.
:09:07. > :09:12.Anything that is going to be crumbly is not good for space flight.
:09:13. > :09:14.Breakfast this morning, scrambled eggs.
:09:15. > :09:34.In about five minutes, it will be ready to eat.
:09:35. > :09:36.There have been some comments about you, the ISS,
:09:37. > :09:39.and the Nobel Peace Prize. Do you want to expand on that?
:09:40. > :09:41.Well, the International Space Station was nominated
:09:42. > :09:43.for the Nobel Peace Prize because of the international
:09:44. > :09:45.cooperation for so many years, and even dating back before
:09:46. > :09:50.the International Space Station, of course, space flight in general
:09:51. > :09:52.was wonderful in terms of cooperation, in particular
:09:53. > :09:57.But in terms of the International Space Station now, we have
:09:58. > :10:02.And that has been since 1998, the first modules flew,
:10:03. > :10:08.It has had 16 years of human occupation.
:10:09. > :10:10.Astronauts from so many different nations all around the world
:10:11. > :10:14.all working towards the same goal, the same science objectives,
:10:15. > :10:17.the same exploration objectives, so I think it really is very worthy
:10:18. > :10:27.Yes, this is the cupula, node three, and this really
:10:28. > :10:33.It is just a wonderful place to go to take photographs or just
:10:34. > :10:36.if you want five minutes to yourself, have a coffee
:10:37. > :10:39.and literally look at the world go by.
:10:40. > :10:41.You can't ask for a better view, really.
:10:42. > :10:48.You get to the stage, you actually challenge yourself -
:10:49. > :10:50.when you first get up into space, you are looking down
:10:51. > :10:54.and you are kind of just trying to work out where you are and try
:10:55. > :10:57.and orientate yourself and get used to the 16 orbits the day.
:10:58. > :11:00.Once you've been up a couple of months, you wouldn't even need
:11:01. > :11:03.to look at the map where you are, you look out the window
:11:04. > :11:06.and you would be able to tell, obviously, this is Africa,
:11:07. > :11:08.I can see right now we're over Africa, nothing
:11:09. > :11:12.And, then, judging by where the orbits are, you would say,
:11:13. > :11:14.we are over South America, so in 25 minutes, we
:11:15. > :11:19.You would just kind of get used to the odd look out the window
:11:20. > :11:22.and be able to know where you were, where over the world you were,
:11:23. > :11:31.The country has voted to leave the European Union.
:11:32. > :11:33.As a British astronaut, as part of the European Space Agency,
:11:34. > :11:37.tell me how you think that might work or what you think might be
:11:38. > :11:42.Yes, from up point of view of the European Space Agency,
:11:43. > :11:46.the UK's participation is not affected by the EU referendum.
:11:47. > :11:50.The European Space Agency is a separate entity so the UK
:11:51. > :11:54.is still firmly a member of the European Space Agency.
:11:55. > :11:58.Hopefully, we will continue to participate in the International
:11:59. > :12:05.What we do have to be careful of, of course, is science,
:12:06. > :12:07.which will be affected by the EU referendum.
:12:08. > :12:10.I know there are many people involved in science in the UK
:12:11. > :12:13.who are concerned about how that is going to be affected.
:12:14. > :12:16.There are certainly many areas that we need to be focused
:12:17. > :12:19.on in moving forward and try and make the best for Britain
:12:20. > :12:26.Science experiments, you have spoken about these,
:12:27. > :12:28.you have said you haven't made any mistakes.
:12:29. > :12:32.This is something you were really passionate about before you went up,
:12:33. > :12:34.and you engaged a lot of children as well,
:12:35. > :12:39.What experiments have excited you the most?
:12:40. > :12:42.Yes, well, all astronauts are really engaged in science because that is
:12:43. > :12:48.We get to do other highlights like spacewalks and robotics
:12:49. > :12:51.operations and doing a lot of maintenance,
:12:52. > :12:54.but, really, science is the focus of our activity.
:12:55. > :12:57.Some of the things that are really exciting and the ones
:12:58. > :13:01.Nothing more so than the life sciences because it
:13:02. > :13:05.You get remarkably good at being an ultrasound
:13:06. > :13:09.Ultrasound is of the eye, of the cardiovascular
:13:10. > :13:11.system, all the arteries and veins in your body.
:13:12. > :13:13.We are learning an awful lot about that.
:13:14. > :13:16.And, also, for example, airway monitoring, that was really
:13:17. > :13:20.great experiment, looking at airway inflammation and how we can measure
:13:21. > :13:23.that on board the space patient and how bad will benefit people
:13:24. > :13:28.Those experiments, I think, that really relate to benefits for people
:13:29. > :13:43.And that is a regular occurrence throughout our duration
:13:44. > :13:47.With children being so excited about science, what you hope they
:13:48. > :13:51.Because you interacted with lots of them, growing
:13:52. > :13:53.certain plants and seeds. That's right.
:13:54. > :13:56.Yes, we tried to interact with children on so many levels,
:13:57. > :13:59.really to try and encourage then to look at science and technology,
:14:00. > :14:02.engineering, maths, in a new light, trying to see that it can be
:14:03. > :14:05.exciting, it can be fun, it can lead to great careers.
:14:06. > :14:07.And, also, we need new scientists and engineers to solve
:14:08. > :14:11.These bats are hydrophobic which means they resist the water
:14:12. > :14:22.We can have games on a Saturday and play space ping-pong.
:14:23. > :14:30.But, also, on a more lighter level, we were trying to use space
:14:31. > :14:33.and the mission to excite kids to be inspired into whatever
:14:34. > :14:40.So, that is why we included things like the mission patch design,
:14:41. > :14:43.fitness and nutrition, so many exercises there.
:14:44. > :14:45.You mentioned the growing rocket sees as well.
:14:46. > :14:51.Just to try and use space to inspired kids.
:14:52. > :14:53.Did you like science when you were a child?
:14:54. > :14:57.I love to science and that led onto my career in aviation.
:14:58. > :14:59.Learning about physics and learning about aviation,
:15:00. > :15:05.And there you can see the bubble is starting to grow.
:15:06. > :15:13.I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that you have inspired
:15:14. > :15:15.lots of children who have been following your mission.
:15:16. > :15:17.We went back to your primary school, Westbourne primary school,
:15:18. > :15:21.and we filmed some of the children there,
:15:22. > :15:40.We would like to show you how we have been learning about space.
:15:41. > :15:44.This is a rocket that we have made in honour of you.
:15:45. > :15:49.We call him Thin Tim because he is on paper and he has
:15:50. > :15:53.been watching over all of our assemblies.
:15:54. > :15:56.This is where we grew our rocket seed, some
:15:57. > :16:01.That is brilliant. The school hasn't changed that much.
:16:02. > :16:03.I've been inspired by him telling everyone that he wasn't
:16:04. > :16:07.the best at school. That's very true.
:16:08. > :16:13.That shows that we can do anything we try hard.
:16:14. > :16:16.Is it true you can see the Great Wall of China from space?
:16:17. > :16:20.Can you have a bath or shower in the ISS?
:16:21. > :16:24.Wow, I can see I am going to have to get back to Westbourne primary
:16:25. > :16:31.Great questions, though. And that is a lovely message.
:16:32. > :16:36.Good morning, it is Saturday the 18th of June.
:16:37. > :16:40.Also ahead, Tim Peake's six months space mission comes to an end.
:16:41. > :16:44.In the last few hours, the British astronaut has
:16:45. > :16:47.boarded the spacecraft that was going to bring him
:16:48. > :16:57.On June 18th, Tim and two crewmates said their goodbyes and left
:16:58. > :17:03.Their return journey reached speeds 25 times faster than sound.
:17:04. > :17:07.We are just eight and a half minutes away from touchdown.
:17:08. > :17:10.They landed in the desert in Kazakhstan.
:17:11. > :17:16.Shortly afterwards, Tim said it was remarkable,
:17:17. > :17:21.It has been incredible. It really has.
:17:22. > :17:24.I'm so grateful for all the support and I thank everybody
:17:25. > :17:28.Tell us about that journey, the actual journey in.
:17:29. > :17:32.Actually, the undocking and the preparation for re-entry,
:17:33. > :17:36.it is all very smooth and fairly slow, but it is really in the last
:17:37. > :17:39.40 minutes with things really start to happen.
:17:40. > :17:42.The main thing is that big engine burn that slows you down.
:17:43. > :17:46.Once you have burned that engine, you are coming back to Earth,
:17:47. > :17:53.Then, the space craft has to separate, it blows itself apart
:17:54. > :17:55.with pyrotechnic bolts, and we are left with just
:17:56. > :17:59.the capsule with the three of us that is going to come down.
:18:00. > :18:01.How does that feel, it blows itself apart with para tech nicks?
:18:02. > :18:06.If you are not ready for it, it would really
:18:07. > :18:11.It is very loud, and it is a number of bolts going off, just
:18:12. > :18:14.And, actually, the spacecraft rocks and you feeling get thrown aside
:18:15. > :18:18.because it separates with some propulsion.
:18:19. > :18:22.The capsule starts slowly tumbling and at that point,
:18:23. > :18:25.you are simply waiting for the atmosphere to
:18:26. > :18:32.The atmosphere then orientate the capsule in the right direction.
:18:33. > :18:38.Anything that can burn on the outside of the
:18:39. > :18:44.So, flames come past, and then it turns into plasma.
:18:45. > :18:49.So, those start to burn over and brown over.
:18:50. > :18:52.But you are expecting that, you have been told about it.
:18:53. > :18:54.It doesn't come as too much of a surprise.
:18:55. > :19:02.The first meal was actually on the aircraft that was bringing me
:19:03. > :19:08.And I was delighted because they had prepared some British tea bags
:19:09. > :19:12.for me so I had a cup of tea with a little bit of salad,
:19:13. > :19:17.That is all you actually want because you are
:19:18. > :19:20.So, it was really kind of simple food.
:19:21. > :19:23.But to have that first cup of tea on the aircraft was really great.
:19:24. > :19:37.What was it like being in your own bed?
:19:38. > :19:40.When you went in your sleeping bag, you were and tethered.
:19:41. > :19:43.Well, just loosely tethered but I like to be floating
:19:44. > :19:46.Some people like to strap themselves in tightly.
:19:47. > :19:49.I was happy more floating around. Back in your own bed...
:19:50. > :19:52.Yes, back in your own bed, it takes awhile to get used to it.
:19:53. > :19:57.Are feeling the pressure points very heavily.
:19:58. > :20:02.Everything feels so heavy so you end up tossing and turning a lot more
:20:03. > :20:05.because it is uncomfortable to be in any one spot for too long.
:20:06. > :20:13.It only really takes three or four nights before you slot
:20:14. > :20:21.Or have you still got an official job?
:20:22. > :20:23.Yes, I was employed in 2009 as the European Space Agency
:20:24. > :20:29.And that goes for all of my colleagues that I joined up with.
:20:30. > :20:31.The 2009 class of shenanigans, my five other friends.
:20:32. > :20:34.And, in fact, Alex Guest has already been reassigned to a separate
:20:35. > :20:38.He will fly in 2019 and commanded the space station.
:20:39. > :20:40.So, we all continue to be employed as astronauts.
:20:41. > :20:43.And after I have done the post flight science objectives
:20:44. > :20:46.and the post flight to, I will go back to being a flight
:20:47. > :20:51.status astronaut and eligible for a further assignment, as well.
:20:52. > :20:55.So, you would go back? Absolutely.
:20:56. > :20:57.If the opportunity arose, but would go back either
:20:58. > :21:00.to the International Space Station or to some of the exciting missions
:21:01. > :21:08.We are looking at a collaboration with Nasa, the Orion project
:21:09. > :21:12.Would you go back next month, if you could?
:21:13. > :21:17.I would like to spend a bit more time with the family before I go
:21:18. > :21:23.I think both your boys would appreciate that
:21:24. > :21:29.This is where you have spent the last few weeks
:21:30. > :21:42.Are you back up to full strength?
:21:43. > :21:45.I feel like I am, and in fact, the muscles in my back are actually
:21:46. > :21:47.in better condition now than they were prelaunch.
:21:48. > :21:50.But in certain areas, it is going to take a lot longer.
:21:51. > :21:53.And for my bone density to recover, it will probably take
:21:54. > :21:56.You ran the marathon up in space. How was it?
:21:57. > :21:59.It was actually not as bad as I was anticipating.
:22:00. > :22:03.Congratulations for running the marathon.
:22:04. > :22:05.But you never got a medal. Did you?
:22:06. > :22:07.Well, no, I didn't actually run the London Marathon,
:22:08. > :22:09.it was the digital version of the London Marathon.
:22:10. > :22:12.Well, Virgin Money London Marathon thinks you did run the marathon.
:22:13. > :22:15.May I put this on you? I will pop this down.
:22:16. > :22:17.You do at last have a medal for running the marathon.
:22:18. > :22:19.It is all yours. Congratulations.
:22:20. > :22:22.Brilliant, thank you very much. Are you going to take it off today?
:22:23. > :22:25.Brilliant. Well done.
:22:26. > :22:28.It has been an absolute pleasure talking to you.
:22:29. > :22:29.Thank you so much. Likewise.
:22:30. > :22:31.Thank you, that is wonderful, thank you very much.
:22:32. > :22:33.OK, so, yeah, I will just go into a ball
:22:34. > :22:46.On axis? Yeah, on axis, that is cool.
:22:47. > :22:48.Actually, it is more provocative when you go off axis.
:22:49. > :22:54.Don't worry. Provocative is fine.
:22:55. > :22:56.HE LAUGHS Just keep it going.
:22:57. > :23:08.Err, yeah, that's good. THEY LAUGH
:23:09. > :23:12.We've got warm spells of sunshine outside and this is a taster of full
:23:13. > :23:14.suite got to come next