British astronaut Tim Peake is heading to Kingston this autumn, bringing the awe and wonder of space travel past, present and future to audiences with his latest, nation-wide tour.

Peake made history in 2015 when he became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) – spending six months living and working in space, completing a spacewalk and even running a marathon.

His tour, Astronauts: The Quest To Explore Space brings to life the adventures of astronauts in a celebration of human spaceflight and gives a fascinating insight into what lies ahead.

"It's like the greatest hits of space exploration, with amazing footage and behind the scenes stories of what it's really like to leave our planet," Peake said.

He added: "This tour is fast-paced, fun and entertaining.

"It showcases the extraordinary endeavour of human spaceflight; the excitement, the drama, the highs and lows, right from the early days of the 1950s, through to the current Artemis program to return to the Moon, and beyond that to the first human mission to Mars.

"With the Artemis 2 mission having taken its latest steps this year, I'm looking forward to some new elements in the tour, talking about what's happening right now and how that's all going.

"And I suspect the Q&A – which is always a favourite part of the night for me – will be quite different this time out too."

Peake said he "loves" going on tour because he can interact with people from a variety of backgrounds.

He added: "I do a lot of talks all year round, but they are often with people linked to the space sector in some way. The tour is a chance to meet the wider public, and it does still surprise me how interested people are in my story – and I am always grateful for that!

"I have to remind myself that going to space is still something that is very hard to do. Only 600 people have reached Earth's orbit, and fewer than half of those have done a spacewalk… The fact that I am one of them will never not be incredibly special to me, and it's an honour to share the experience."

While the tour reflects on space stories from the past, Peake is also focussed on his own possible future exploration – working closely with a number of organisations on their plans.

He has been closely linked with the Axiom Space and UK Space Agency (UKSA) project, supporting the US-based company's ambitions for an all-UK mission as part of their work in building a commercial space station as a replacement for the ISS.

"Axiom's work is hugely exciting with so many potential benefits for the UK, and I'm delighted to be involved," Peake said.

"Absolutely I would love to go back to space if the chance came up; I don't know of any astronaut who wouldn't want another mission to space. It's just an incredible experience."

The Axiom Space mission would be a commercially-sponsored space flight, meaning no cost to the UK taxpayer, and it's hoped it will open doors to further commercial partnerships and wet the appetite for space sponsorship in the future.

Peake explained: "Space touches all our lives in many different ways, from climate monitoring, navigation and communications to financial transactions, agriculture and disaster response.

"Most companies are reliant on some form of space-based technology today and there is huge scope for private investment. It's new territory, but we hope to make it work."

Although he recently marked the 10th anniversary of his own return from space, Peake's excitement for all things space as well as STEM education (science, technology, engineering and maths) shows no sign of waning.

"It's crazy looking back," he said.

"It feels like yesterday but so much has happened and there is now so much to be proud of in our UK space sector. We have companies in the UK doing real cutting-edge work and driving forwards some of what is possible.

"We now have three UK astronauts, Rosemary Coogan, Meganne Christian and John McFill all available for missions.

"When I think back to when I joined ESA in 2009, the UK didn't even contribute to the human space programme – and now I get to be here for them, to help and guide them through this incredible experience."

Having retired from the ESA in 2023, but remaining closely tied to all-things space related in the UK, Peake says he has had a "dramatic career change once before when I went from being a test pilot to astronaut training and it has been a similar shift in focus".

He added: "I'm an ambassador for The King's Trust, Scouts, STEM Learning and Great Ormond Street Hospital, as causes very close to my heart, and I work as an ambassador for the UKSA and ESA for certain activities and events.

"I am also an ambassador for King Charles' Astra Carta initiative, looking at how we can use space sustainably and responsibly, so that we can all benefit from the opportunities space has to offer whilst protecting it for future generations.

"I've enjoyed writing several books, presented a TV documentary on the Secrets of Our Universe and co-hosted the recent 13-Minutes podcast for the BBC covering the Artemis 2 mission, as four astronauts went on an epic 10-day journey round the Moon.

"Realistically, as an astronaut, you don't ever completely retire. I have been to events like the STARMUS Festival, where I had the privilege to meet several of the Apollo astronauts – from Charlie Duke to Buzz Aldrin.

"They are still out there promoting science, space and exploration and I hope I'll do the same for many years to come.

"Travelling to space gives you a unique perspective and I still enjoy sharing it."

These are momentous times for the space industry. While a moonwalk is on the cards for the Artemis 4 crew as early as 2028, and work is ongoing towards a crewed mission to Mars, some of the most exciting work will have impacts much closer to home in the coming years.

Speaking about the research taking place in orbit, Peake said: "We have occupied the ISS for nearly 25 years now – and it is essentially a giant science lab. There are components in modern mobile phones which were first tested on the ISS.

"But we're getting more specialists in science taking place there now. There is more targeted pharmaceutical research as companies realise the potential available to them.

"For example, growing protein crystals in space for motor neurone and Parkinson's diseases could lead to much better treatments for these conditions.

"We're at the stage where space can become a manufacturing hub for all sorts of things, which can then be brought back down to Earth."

He continued: "There are things you can build in space which can't be built on Earth, because of the effects of gravity. For example, there are attempts to grow human tissue and organs on Earth, using bio ink and 3D printers.

"The problem on Earth is that small structures need some sort of scaffolding because gravity causes them to collapse, but in space, you can 3D print human organs more easily, because there is no gravity.

"It sounds like the wildest science fiction, but it really is science fact and it's where we are at right now. Five to 10 years and we could be printing full-size human organs in space that could be a feasible transplant option for patients.

"And that's when space research starts to mean something very real for people on Earth.

"The potential is only just now being unlocked – and with the shift from purely government-funded research to commercially-funded opportunities, there is greater competition to achieve results."

While all these prospects for future space exploration are without doubt exciting, what drives Peake's enthusiasm most is the power of inspiration.

Some of the scientists and engineers coming through now were teenagers inspired by Peake's Principipia mission – which has created a huge legacy for the British space industry.

"It's easy to be inspired by space," he said. "You go to a conference, meet companies doing incredible things. I can't help but be inspired still by the potential future opportunities.

"The legacy I'm most proud of from my mission is without doubt the inspiration for future generations. When I go to schools and colleges, it's amazing to see older students saying 'I remember watching you launch and you inspired me to go off and follow these subjects'.

"It's a huge privilege to have a platform that allows you to inspire people. Space is a place where we can all wonder and dream."

Peake's tour Astronauts: The Quest To Explore Space, will be running at the Rose Theatre in Kingston on 4 October.

Tickets can be bought here.

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