To point out that, exciting as Tim Peake's trip to the space station is......

[BertrandRussell]

.....he is not the first British astronaut, and I can't remember anything like this hype when she made her trip?

[MsButteryMash]

Yes I remember loads of coverage of Helen Sharman and if I think "British astronaut" I think of her name first.

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

I think for reasons of funding,etc, the media are technically correct that he is the first official British astronaut and that is a big deal because it represents an outcome that has been partially funded by the government.

Of course, it is usual for men to get more publicity for events and achievements that are connected to STEM but in this case his trip has definite differences from Helen's although they are both very impressive.

I was talking to DS about it this morning (both Helen's trip and Tim's) - it's very exciting

[BooyakaTurkeyisMassive]

It was different back then. She did a huge tour of schools and educational places afterwards with the focus on getting girls into science. I was lucky enough to see one and she was brilliant. That would probably all be replaced with web chats or YouTube videos these days. It's all perception. But yes, there was big hype.

[MsButteryMash]

Also remember that Sharman was selected from thousands of applicants. I think it's great that there was no assumption or expectation that it should be a man, and that they selected her on the basis of her knowledge and abilities. That in itself is important.

[WorraLiberty]

Jesus OP, where have you been hiding?

Helen Sharman was MASSIVE news at the time!

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

East

Well the first I heard of his mission was a couple of days ago, so there can't have been THAT much hype, was there?? I do think it's pretty incredible and awe-inspiring and I loved watching the takeoff. I was 1 when Helen Sharman went up to space so can't comment on that, but apparently she was selected live on ITV so sounds like there was some hype!

[MagicalMrsMistoffelees]

There was massive coverage when Helen Sharman went into space. I was at school and it was a big deal.

But 2015 is a different technological age compared to 1991 what with 24 hour news, the internet, social media, cameras on board, schools able to link up with the ISS and speak to the crew - so of course the excitement is going to be ramped up.

It's a fantastic achievement for all involved and there's lots to be learned from the trip. Those moaners who say there are enough problems on earth for us to be focussing on or that it's a waste of time are just miserable killjoys.

[Whatthefreakinwhatnow]

butterymash, pretty sure Tim was chosen for his mission bazed on his skillset and knowledge too, not because he is male You do know that there have been women on the ISS right?!

[Whatthefreakinwhatnow]

based even! I bloody hate this phone!!!!!

[BarbarianMum]

I think your memory is playing tricks on you. There was massive media coverage of Helen Sharman (well initially of the selection process but then of her and her mission). Far, far more than of Tim Peake.

I too live in her home city and we are still pretty proud of her today.

[MsButteryMash]

Yes of course, what I mean is that we still live in a sexist world and I'm glad that as far back as the 80s there was no barrier to a woman being chosen for that expedition. There are arguments that women make better astronauts than men in general, yet they have still been under-represented and make up about 1 in 10 of those who have been to space.

I'm not suggesting Peake has made it on the basis of being a man, but that I am glad the first British astronaut was a woman who made it on her merits, and that it was a big deal.

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

Ego well yes, that's what I said in the rest of my quote ie this trip is different from Helen's and it represents an outcome caused by a change in government policy/funding so whoever it was there would have been huge publicity.

[motherinferior]

I'd say she got more coverage than Peake, given a pre-digital media context, actually.

[sashh]

Tim Peake is the first official British astronaut, because he's on a space agency funded mission, and he hasn't had to have dual citizenship.

That's crap. Helen Sharman's trip was part funded by a lottery but mainly by the then soviet space programme, this trip is being funded by the European Space Agency using Russian space agency space craft, so a joint venture.

He will be the first Briton without duel citizenship on the ISS but he is not and never will be the first British astronaut.

Helen Sharman,Michael Foale, Gregory H. Johnson, Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick all in space before him.

[DinoSnores]

I remember loads about Helen Sharman going into space and I would have been at primary school. I definitely remember Blue Peter and Newsround, that a PP mentioned above.

Tim Peake is the first only-British-national astronaut not on a private contract, but that doesn't take away from the achievements of all the other astronauts that went before him.

Things are going to be different this time. Tim Peake will be on Twitter/Facebook, we can watch it all live. Media is just different nowadays, so it is silly to come out with a pseudo-argument about how it is different because Helen Sharman is female.

[Snoopadoop]

Bollocks, there was hype! I remember it well. It was just before social media and all the stuff that goes with that. Helen Sharman was Britain's first person in space. And there have been many other British born Americans since. Tim Peake is the first British 'astronaut' as in employed astronaut to go to the space station. It's exciting. It was equally as exciting when Helen Sharman went up in a shuttle and it was a big thing. Maybe you slept through it.

[CordeliaFrost]

sashh - sorry but it's not crap.

Project Juno was a private British space programme, funded by businesses, who BOUGHT a seat on a Russian mission.

Helen Sharman was therefore, not an ESA recruited astronaut, and wasn't the first OFFICIAL British astronaut in space. She was however the first Briton in space.

All here...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Juno

[TrojanWhore]

Yesterday's thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2528179-Helen-Sharman-1st-Brit-in-space?

[scalliondays]

Yes - I remember Helen Sharman and lots of hype for the time. Of course the real hero of the day is Tim ' s wife who not only has to put up with the worry of it all whilst looking after their 2 young sons but will have people endlessly telling her forever how wonderful he is. Can't help thinking that blasting off into space is a doddle compared to staying at home!

[RedToothBrush]

Tim said in his Horizon Programme (well worth a watch on the iplayer if you've not seen) that family was a very important part of his team, in the same was that his fellow astronauts on board and his support crew on the ground were and he couldn't do it without them and their sacrifices too. He needed his wife to talk about elements of the trip he couldn't talk about with his colleagues. He put her on an equal footing to anyone else involved in his mission.

I got the impression that the whole programme was set up with the family involvement in mind; for example at the last launch Tim shadowed the actual crew as a member of the back up crew but his wife ALSO went to the preparation and launch to prepare for when it would be Tim's turn.

If I recall correctly, Chris Hadfield echoed this sentiment and viewed him going to space as an achievement as a family.

I think that's right and its good that the astronauts themselves recognise that its a team event not a solo achievement and are strongly putting that message out there, if given the opportunity.

[DinoSnores]

scallion, there is a real nice bit of Chris Hadfield's autobiography when he talks about just that! Definitely recommending reading it.

[LurkingOne]

What are you going on about...

It was hugely covered, wall to wall. It was 1991, so we didn't have the technology to show the launch live on my computer and media was much more narrow, pretty much 4 channels of TV and the press, but it was the main headline on every single media outlet.

so yabmassivelyu

[Enjolrass]

scallion me and dh had that exact conversation. He is gone 6 months and add on all the training etc.

She is definitely a hero.