In all of human history, more than 600 people have gone to outer space.

To this day, fewer than 100 people have sailed non-stop, single-handed around the world.

British sailor Alex Thomson is one of those few.

Alex Thomson wants to become first British winner of the Vendee Globe on his fifth attempt

He completed the 24,000-mile Vendee Globe round-the-world race in 2012, coming third, and in 2017 he finished second despite damaging his starboard foil just 12 days in.

Yet for the Gosport-based racer, merely finishing isn’t enough.

Preparations are underway for his fifth attempt at winning the event in 2020, in the process hoping to become the first Briton to claim victory.

Thomson said: ‘It’s my life’s work.

‘It’s the equivalent to an Olympic gold medal.

‘It’s like an Olympian has done four Olympics and got a bronze and a silver and I’m just desperate for that gold.

‘If we do achieve the ultimate goal, I honestly couldn’t say what it would feel like. It is everything to me.’

Thomson will take delivery of a brand new £5million Hugo Boss yacht during 2019

His first two efforts, in 2004 and 2008, ended in retirement – the first after sustaining a hole in the deck and the second due to a cracked hull.

In 2012 he was more successful, claiming a creditable third place finish.

The 2016 edition saw Thomson come second to Armel Le Cléac'h, but that tells a fraction of the story.

Having suffered serious boat damage on day 12, Thomson went on to set a 24-hour speed record of 536.81 nautical miles and miraculously ploughed on to the finish.

He eventually completed the race in 74 days 19 hours 35 minutes and 15 minutes – the second-fastest ever time behind Le Cléac'h.

For Thomson, the Vendee Globe remains the ultimate test of physical and mental stamina, having to fight isolation and never sleeping for more than an hour at a time.

The race has long been considered one of the toughest events in sport, and was dubbed the 'Everest of the seas'.

Across nine previous races since since the race started in 1989, there have been 169 entries with just 83 finishers.

‘I am on my own, and the truth is you have to do it yourself,' he has said.

‘When you’re in the cockpit going down 50ft waves you think it’s exhilarating.

‘But when you go inside the boat, it’s like going inside a coffin at 40 miles an hour.

‘Your brain’s defence mechanism comes into play and it’s just screaming you’re going to die, you’re going to die, and all you can think about is the icebergs, the containers, the sharks, the whales you might hit.’

In a bid to improve on 2013's second place, Thomson targeted technological improvements

The 44-year-old father of two, backed for much of his career by lifestyle brand Hugo Boss, is determined to claim the prize that has eluded him for so long.

He is currently awaiting delivery of his new, £5million Hugo Boss IMOCA 60 racing yacht, which is currently being constructed to his exact specifications in Hampshire and is due in mid-2019.

Having signed up Nokia Bell Labs as a partner, Thomson hopes gains in technological performance can help conquer a competition that takes him through some of the harshest environments on the planet.

He said: ‘Technology moves at such a speed, there are so many more advancements we can make now that we couldn’t ten years ago.

‘There’s so much more possibilities for AI, understanding your limitations and where you are at.

‘Because I am in such an extreme environment there are learnings for the technology as well, and I really think it can make a huge difference to my sailing.’

While Britain are the most successful nation in Olympic sailing history, Thomson knows there is still ground to make up on the French when it comes to offshore racing.

Britain have some history in the race beyond Thomson, with Ellen MacArthur finishing second in 2001 and Mike Goulding third in 2005 - but that pales in comparison to the French, who have won all nine previous editions.

He said: ‘Offshore sailing is dominated by the French.

‘Winning would be like having a British cross-country ski champion.

‘We have always been good at sailing, but we are good at Olympic sailing.

‘In offshore sailing it’s not so easy - up to 70 per cent of the starters in the Vendee Globe will be French.

‘I feel positive we can do something because each time we are getting better and stronger and learning.

‘We are methodically going through the process and improving all the time and last time we got the point where we could have won, so next time we need to win.’

Thomson completed the 2017 race in 74 days 19 hours, 35 minutes and 15 seconds

Thomson has been preparing for the 2020 race since the moment he finished the last one in 2017, and on November 4 he will compete in the 3,000-mile Route Du Rhum.

It is a sprint in comparison, but for Thomson a worthy challenge that was won by compatriot MacArthur in 2002.

Thomson said: ‘We desperately want to win it but everything we do is geared towards the Vendee Globe.

‘I want to win, that’s one part of it, and it’s a true sprint and a chance to push the boat.

‘On the Vendee Globe you are conscious of the need to finish whereas on this you have the opportunity to go hell for leather. I’m really looking forward to it.’