Coming down to earth with a 17,000 mph bump

The last thing you could accuse 44-year-old Tim Peake of being is lost for words. But he might well be for the next few days.

For the past six months he has captivated the country with his constant communications from space.

But one of the side-effects of returning to terra firma from the International Space Stationt is losing the ability to speak normally. In space, the lips and tongue also adjust to the weightlessness, so when astronauts return, they often struggle to speak. This would be something of a blow to his parents, former News journalist Nigel, and Angela (pictured, right) who have flown to Germany to be reunited with their son.

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The astronauts were also expected to need a helping hand to get out of the capsule. Other side-effects are vertigo and dizziness as the brain tries to re-learn what’s up from what’s down.

Although weakened muscles recover quickly after long spells in space, it can take up to three years for bones to return to normal. Despite their strict exercise regime, astronauts on average lose up to 1.5 per cent of their bone mass for each month spent in space.

During his mission Tim, a former student at the University of Portsmouth, has taken part in more than 250 experiments, performed a spacewalk, presented a Brit award, run the London Marathon on a treadmill, and received an honour from the Queen.

The former helicopter test pilot became the first Briton to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) as a European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut on December 15 last year.

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Today he was scheduled to return home with American colleague Colonel Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.

Taken from the Twitter feed of Tim Peake @astro_timpeake, who said he will never forget his first walk in space as he posted a selfie of his historic feat.Taken from the Twitter feed of Tim Peake @astro_timpeake, who said he will never forget his first walk in space as he posted a selfie of his historic feat.
Taken from the Twitter feed of Tim Peake @astro_timpeake, who said he will never forget his first walk in space as he posted a selfie of his historic feat.

They were making the potentially hazardous trip crammed into the tiny Soyuz TMA descent capsule. Hitting the atmosphere at more than 17,000mph, the three men were relying on friction, parachutes and retro-rockets to ensure a safe landing in the vast, flat scrubland of the Kazakhstan steppe.

Tim’s mission was named Principia after Sir Isaac Newton’s landmark work describing the laws of motion and gravity. Its primary purpose was to contribute to scientific knowledge by conducting experiments in zero gravity, but Major Peake did much more than that as he constantly kept in touch with the world by Twitter, took part in video-linked Q&A sessions, and engaged in educational activities that reached more than a million schoolchildren.

His success in putting Britain on the space-faring map earned him a unique place in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Becoming the first person to be honoured while in space, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for ‘extraordinary service beyond our planet’.

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Speaking from the ISS last week, he said his spacewalk with Col Kopra in January to repair electrical components, was the highlight of his mission.

Tim Peake with crew members Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, to start their journey to International Space StationTim Peake with crew members Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, to start their journey to International Space Station
Tim Peake with crew members Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, to start their journey to International Space Station

He added he was looking forward to ‘private time’ with his family, fresh air, and the feeling of raindrops on his face.

Tim’s place in history is secured.

He joins the 536 people who have escaped Earth’s confines to witness space – the final frontier.

 During his time in space Major Peake worked up to 14 hours a day. , participating in more than 250 experiments devised by scientists from around the world.

They included numerous studies of his own body’s responses to the space environment involving his brain, lungs, stomach, muscles, bones, skin, immune system and body clock.

Nigel and Angela PeakeNigel and Angela Peake
Nigel and Angela Peake
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The tests will continue as he begins a lengthy process of rehabilitation back on Earth.

While weakened muscles recover quickly after a long spell in space, it can take up to three years for bones to return to normal. Despite their strict exercise regime, astronauts on average lose up to 1.5% of their bone mass for each month spent in space.

Major Peake was originally scheduled to return at the beginning of June, but his homecoming was delayed when the launch of the replacement crew was pushed back.

Welcome home!

HE’S inspired them to reach for the stars in the past six months.

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So children at Westbourne Primary School have pulled out all the stops to make sure their idol gets a warm welcome home.

Children at the school have helped to make a music video, ‘Tim Peake’s Coming Home’.

The song is a quirky twist on ‘Football’s Coming Home’ with the lyrics changed to include, ‘You’ll give us a roar when he lands’, ‘rockets on his shirt’ and ‘solar panels gleaming’.

The video has been uploaded to YouTube for parents and the community to watch.

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The video was launched yesterday at the school’s summer fair.

Headteacher Steven Potter said: ‘We wanted to let Tim know that he has been an inspiration over the last six months.

It has been a real community effort with someone from the village, Simon Newman, coming up with the idea.

‘Lyrics were done by our children and Simon, and sound and filming done by two of our parents, Mark Blaney and Paul Deacon. The audio has already been heard by Tim who said he was “absolutely delighted” and “over the moon”.’

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