Tim Peake's Space Walk

Tim Peake has officially made history after he stepped outside the International Space Station at about 13:00 GMT.

14:00 15 January 2016

Tim Peake has successfully carried out the first ever spacewalk by an “official” British astronaut. He stepped outside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock at about 13:00 GMT. Together with Nasa astronaut Tim Kopra, he replaced a faulty component on the station’s exterior.

 

Prior to this historic event, Major Peake spoke to BBC Stargazing where he said: “I think a spacewalk is absolutely the pinnacle of an astronaut’s career.”

 

Luca Parmitano, an Italian Esa astronaut who conducted two spacewalks in 2013, agreed with Major Peake. He said: "It is unimaginable... there are no words to describe the feeling of seeing our planet from above through a visor - that's all that separates us from the view, a thin visor of plexiglass."

 

"When language evolved, it described what we saw around us. Being on the space station, doing an EVA, walking outside is not something we have experienced [as a species]."

 

The European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut added: "We've put a huge amount of effort into this spacewalk. It's hugely exciting and we're ready to go."

 

During the spacewalk, the two Tims stepped to the very edge of the space station and travelled half of its length while attached to the space station’s external structures via steel cords.