Watching Tim Peake's spacewalk will be '˜one of life's greatest moments' for his parents

By The Newsroom
Published 14th Jan 2016, 07:30 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 07:10 BST
Major Tim Peake will take on his first spacewalk this Friday. Gareth Fuller/PA Wire SUS-151216-090132001Major Tim Peake will take on his first spacewalk this Friday. Gareth Fuller/PA Wire SUS-151216-090132001
Major Tim Peake will take on his first spacewalk this Friday. Gareth Fuller/PA Wire SUS-151216-090132001

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Nigel and Angela Peake will watch their son, Tim, take on his first spacewalk on Friday live from their Westbourne family home.

“We’ll be watching it live on NASA TV, which gives daily coverage of the International Space Station,” Nigel said.

“We will have the extraordinary experience of watching our son leave the space station (ISS) and float out in space.

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“It will definitely be one of life’s greatest moments for us as well as Tim.”

Tim's father Nigel Peake will be watching it live with Angela PeakeTim's father Nigel Peake will be watching it live with Angela Peake
Tim's father Nigel Peake will be watching it live with Angela Peake

Major Peake, a former Chichester High School for Boys pupil, has tweeted his delight about Friday’s historic endeavour to replace a failed voltage regulator.

“There was no guarantee he would do a space walk, but after assisting on one within a few days aboard ISS, now he gets to do one himself,” Nigel said. “I know he was very, very keen to do one if the opportunity came up.

“He did specialist training in Huston in an enormous pool, where there was a life-sized replica of the station.

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“They were diving for six hours a day to get used to the environment, and the thick space gloves they would wear for the delicate machinery.”

British astronaut Major Tim Peake (second right) with crew members Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko (front centre) and US astronaut Tim Kopra (left) at the the International Space Station (ISS). European Space Agency/PA WireBritish astronaut Major Tim Peake (second right) with crew members Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko (front centre) and US astronaut Tim Kopra (left) at the the International Space Station (ISS). European Space Agency/PA Wire
British astronaut Major Tim Peake (second right) with crew members Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko (front centre) and US astronaut Tim Kopra (left) at the the International Space Station (ISS). European Space Agency/PA Wire

He added: “Even though he trained six years and then two-and-a-half years for this mission, we still have to pinch ourselves that he’s 250 miles above us, whizzing around at 17,500mph.”

Major Peake has been tweeting all his latest news from the ISS to his 323,000 of followers.

More than ever before, people can engage with him and fellow astronauts because of social media and modern technology, and Tim’s six-month space mission has captured the imagination of young people everywhere.