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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tim Peake: Life in space is 'absolutely spectacular' | Tim Peake: Life in space is 'absolutely spectacular' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| UK astronaut Tim Peake says his first three days in space have been better than he imagined. | |
| Speaking from the International Space Station, he said life in orbit "was absolutely spectacular". | Speaking from the International Space Station, he said life in orbit "was absolutely spectacular". |
| He arrived at the space platform on Tuesday after blasting off from Kazakhstan on a Soyuz rocket. | He arrived at the space platform on Tuesday after blasting off from Kazakhstan on a Soyuz rocket. |
| During a live link-up, he did a backwards somersault and said he was surprised how quickly his body had adapted to weightlessness. | During a live link-up, he did a backwards somersault and said he was surprised how quickly his body had adapted to weightlessness. |
| Answering questions from reporters at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, he said the first two hours had been "pretty rough" and he had been feeling "disorientated and dizzy". | Answering questions from reporters at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, he said the first two hours had been "pretty rough" and he had been feeling "disorientated and dizzy". |
| How dark space is | |
| "But I am amazed how quickly my body has adapted," he added. | "But I am amazed how quickly my body has adapted," he added. |
| "On my second day I woke up feeling ready to go to work and I have had no problems since." | "On my second day I woke up feeling ready to go to work and I have had no problems since." |
| The first professional British astronaut said the most unexpected thing was "the blackness of space". | The first professional British astronaut said the most unexpected thing was "the blackness of space". |
| "We always talk about seeing the view of planet Earth and how beautiful it is and you come to expect that. | "We always talk about seeing the view of planet Earth and how beautiful it is and you come to expect that. |
| "But what people don't mention that much is when you look in the opposite direction and you see how dark space is. | "But what people don't mention that much is when you look in the opposite direction and you see how dark space is. |
| "It is just the blackest black and that was a real surprise to me." | "It is just the blackest black and that was a real surprise to me." |
| Metallic smell | |
| And he said one of the questions he gets asked the most is what the space station smells like. | And he said one of the questions he gets asked the most is what the space station smells like. |
| "It is certainly not unpleasant - it is a kind of metallic smell but not chemically or bad in any way. It is quite distinctive," he said. | "It is certainly not unpleasant - it is a kind of metallic smell but not chemically or bad in any way. It is quite distinctive," he said. |
| He said on Christmas day he would be missing friends and family but at least he would be able to orbit the Earth 16 times and look down on the planet. | He said on Christmas day he would be missing friends and family but at least he would be able to orbit the Earth 16 times and look down on the planet. |
| On the scene - BBC Science Editor David Shukman reports from Cologne | |
| It's not every day that you get to talk to an astronaut in orbit. But as the International Space Station slid above Europe this afternoon, I was among a group of journalists invited to Europe's astronaut training centre in Cologne to ask questions. | |
| We had been warned to avoid small talk because of the inevitable confusion that can be caused by a three-second delay - as the signals bounce from ISS to distant satellites to remote ground stations and back again. But after a while we all got used to it. I wanted to know if he had suffered from space sickness, like many new astronauts - his first 24 hours had been "rough" he told me but now he was fine. | |
| Another question was about how he was sleeping - and he said he was happy not to tether his sleeping bag to a wall but to drift around instead. Did his tea taste different? That came from someone on Twitter. OK, he said. | |
| And, as our time drew to a close, the experience of chatting to someone in orbit started to feel a little less abnormal. I almost forgot that Tim was hurtling through space. Until he was asked to try a somersault, which he did enthusiastically but badly. | |
| Rocket man | Rocket man |
| Mr Peake said he would be working out in space on Friday afternoon to get some exercise. | Mr Peake said he would be working out in space on Friday afternoon to get some exercise. |
| According to the European Space Agency, he has a number of tasks to perform, including unpacking cargo and taking part in an experiment looking at the effects of microgravity on the bone marrow. | According to the European Space Agency, he has a number of tasks to perform, including unpacking cargo and taking part in an experiment looking at the effects of microgravity on the bone marrow. |
| Mr Peake is among six crew members living and working in space. | Mr Peake is among six crew members living and working in space. |
| They include US station commander Scott Kelly, who is spending a year on board the ISS. | They include US station commander Scott Kelly, who is spending a year on board the ISS. |
| Earlier, in tweets he said he had enjoyed some home comforts such as tea and a bacon sandwich. | Earlier, in tweets he said he had enjoyed some home comforts such as tea and a bacon sandwich. |
| In a tweet, mentioning the Nasa astronaut, the 43-year-old from Chichester in Sussex said: "What makes a good leader? @StationCDRKelly having a hot bacon sarnie waiting as my 1st meal on #ISS. Boy that tasted good! #Principia." | In a tweet, mentioning the Nasa astronaut, the 43-year-old from Chichester in Sussex said: "What makes a good leader? @StationCDRKelly having a hot bacon sarnie waiting as my 1st meal on #ISS. Boy that tasted good! #Principia." |
| And he added: "1st 48hrs on ISS - busy but incredible. Amazing how fast the body adapts to new environment. Found my tea ... life is good!" | And he added: "1st 48hrs on ISS - busy but incredible. Amazing how fast the body adapts to new environment. Found my tea ... life is good!" |
| The former Army aviator and helicopter test pilot also received messages of support from the Queen and Sir Elton John after the successful launch and docking on Tuesday. | The former Army aviator and helicopter test pilot also received messages of support from the Queen and Sir Elton John after the successful launch and docking on Tuesday. |
| He tweeted singer Sir Elton John from space, quoting his famous song Rocket Man, in response to a good luck message. | He tweeted singer Sir Elton John from space, quoting his famous song Rocket Man, in response to a good luck message. |
| And he tweeted the Queen from space after Buckingham Palace's twitter account posted a good luck letter from the monarch. | And he tweeted the Queen from space after Buckingham Palace's twitter account posted a good luck letter from the monarch. |
| Where is the International Space Station right now? | |
| What's it like to live on the Space Station? | |
| Tim Peake in space: Want to know more? | Tim Peake in space: Want to know more? |
| Special report page: For the latest news, analysis and video | Special report page: For the latest news, analysis and video |
| Video: Bye bye Daddy | Video: Bye bye Daddy |
| In pictures: Flight to the space station | In pictures: Flight to the space station |
| Explainer: How do I become an astronaut? | Explainer: How do I become an astronaut? |