Tim Peake, Britain’s first official European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, is weeks away from a six-month stint on the International Space Station.

His achievement comes 63 years after the official launch of the space programme in 1952.

The astronaut wasted no time in jokingly comparing himself to another British hero.

Just arrived in London, #Spectre007 on at the movies & feeling in a James Bond kinda mood ;) #Principia pic.twitter.com/o87kHw548e — Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) November 5, 2015

The 43-year-old has said he hopes his mission next month will inspire a new generation of children to aim for the stars.

Here are a few of the events that have happened since the space race began all those decades ago.

Peake follows in the footsteps of Helen Sharman, who travelled to space in 1991 on a privately funded venture.

Minister for Universities and Science Jo Johnson said it was a truly proud moment for the UK and the Government was eager to fully exploit the potential education benefits.

He said: “This is our moonshot moment as a country.”