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?

YABU

With bells on.

I was 15 when Helen Sharman went into space and at the time it felt like it was on the news for months beforehand (although I accept that my perception of time may be totally wrong) so I would honestly say that it feels like there was more hype over her mission, not less. Especially considering that we weren't awash with wall to wall news coverage and social media the way we are today.

But, regardless, it was a fantastic achievement for her, just as today's launch is a fantastic achievement. Celebrating today's achievement doesn't have to detract from the achievements of those who have gone before.

There was definitely loads of hype when Helen Sharman went into space, it was all over Newsround and Blue Peter as well as the grown-up news. It was a BIG thing.

But - and I am putting my pedant hat on here - Tim Peakes is the first (properly) British Astronaut. Other men who have been on NASA missions have either taken US citizenship/naturalisation or have had dual nationality, and Helen Sharman was a Cosmonaut (because she went on a Russian-led mission).

I'm now going to take my pedant hat off and cry over the fact that I have no life and care about shit like this

Being a cosmonaught doesn't mean you aren't an astronaught.

There was loads of coverage about Helen Sharman at the time, and quite right too. I met her when she came to do a talk in my home city. Was super interesting.

as everyone else says OP, you weren't paying attention last time.

Tim Peake is the first British man in space. Helen Sharman is the first British woman in space, and the first Briton of either gender.

both launched by the Russians on a Soyuz rocket, which has a much better safety record than the shuttle. Both science graduates with years of training and additional qualifications.

REAL role models, not those I-want-it-now brats on the no-talent shows.

It was MEGA when she went into space! I heard her speaking on Radio 4 the other day, actually.

There is a girls' school near where I live which has a block named for her. It doesn't seem that long ago, actually.

I can name very few people who've been into space. Helen Sharman is pretty high up the list for me.

It's a shame OP never came back. I hope she at least read it and realised how massive Helen Sharman was and what she meant to a lot of people.

There was loads of hype about Helen Sharman, so I don't agree. I remember it well (i was 12)

21, not 12!

Let's not forget, news has changed during this time, and the desire and ability to get blow-by-blow accounts of the pre-launch and launch process

It's a shame OP never came back. I hope she at least read it and realised how massive Helen Sharman was and what she meant to a lot of people.
I'm a physicist probably because of 3 people. An inspirational physics teacher, Marsha Ivins (an astronaut who came to my (girls) school to give us a talk and answer questions and Helen Sharman.

And can I add the inspirational physics teacher was a woman too (Miss Palmer/Mrs Stanley - if you're reading).

Helen was on the radio as lift off happened. She isn't forgotten, she's still hugely admired.

Sorry but the 'tim peake is just getting loads of coverage simply because he is a bloke' premise, just doesn't work for this thread. Shame the OP couldn't come back and admit SWBU!

As an aside, DH and I watched the documentary and came.to the conclusion that TP is.one of.those.annoying people in life - intelligent, good at bloody everything, super fit and comes across as a really nice person to boot!

I remember Helen Sharman well, and used to live in Sheffield. I was an undergraduate Physics student at the time, so really interested. I've told my DC about her in connection with all the spacey stuff this week.

I think the big deal about Tim Peake is that he is the first Briton on the ISS; he's publically funded; there's a lot more capacity to make a fuss!!! There was a huge fuss when Helen Sharman went into space, but there was no FB, Twitter, 24 hour news etc. She was all over the media - there was just less media.