Tim Peake could end his retirement after just 9 MONTHS to lead the UK’s first team into space: British spaceman is tipped to be among crew of four – alongside the world’s first parastronaut and two female astronauts

Just nine months after announcing his retirement, Major Tim Peake may be about to make a stunning return to space.

According to reports, the legendary British astronaut will lead a four-person British team to the International Space Station (ISS) sometime in the next few years.

Major Peake – known as “Britain’s first astronaut” – is set to be joined by the world’s first astronaut, who is originally from Surrey, and two female astronauts.

The quartet will spend up to two weeks in the orbiting laboratory conducting scientific research and demonstrating new technologies before returning home.

Beck, 51, is known to have spent six months on the International Space Station between 2015 and 2016, but his younger colleagues will be making their first trips into orbit.

Astronaut Tim Peake, pictured here in his ESA spacesuit, could make an amazing return to space

The quartet will spend up to two weeks in the orbiting laboratory conducting scientific research and demonstrating new technologies before returning home

The British Space Agency has partnered with US company Axiom Space on the mission, although it will be officially represented by the European Space Agency (ESA).

The agency confirmed to MailOnline that the mission was in the planning stages, but added that no date had been set and the crew had not yet been selected.

The mission will likely require an experienced astronaut to serve as commander, and Major Peake would be the most obvious contender.

Beck, who has been focusing on ambassadorial work lately, acknowledged the stint aboard Twitter’s X as “exciting,” but did not address reports that he would be on board.

Meanwhile, the most likely contenders for the other three places are Britons who were recently selected for the European Space Agency’s astronaut program in 2023.

They are John McFall, 42, a surgical trainee and Paralympic medalist. Megan Christian, 35, materials scientist originally from Kent; and Rosemary Cogan, 32, an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland.

McFaul, who was pictured undergoing weightless training earlier in the year, had his right leg amputated after a motorcycle accident in Thailand in 2000.

He was fitted with a prosthetic limb and is now working with the European Space Agency to investigate how this disability might affect his mission in space.

Pictured: Members of ESA’s new batch of British astronauts Meghan Christian, John McFaul and Rosemary Cogan

Mr Beck acknowledged the mission aboard the X on Twitter, calling it “exciting”, but did not address reports that he would be on board.

The 51-year-old, from Chichester in Sussex, was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and spent six months on the ISS from December 2015.

The British Space Agency has just entered into a partnership with the American company Axiom Space to carry out the mission. Pictured are Axiom Space’s Tejpaul Bhatia (left) and Dr Paul Butt, CEO of the UK Space Agency

Rosemary Coogan, 32, is from Belfast but went to school in Brighton and gained two masters degrees in physics at Durham University.

From a young age, she spent several weeks a year away from home aboard military training ships and land bases as a junior officer with sea cadets from 2002 to 2009.

Meanwhile, Megan Christian, 35, was born in Kent, but moved to Australia at a young age and studied at the University of New South Wales.

The materials scientist worked at the Italian National Research Council in Bologna and as a researcher at the Concordia Station in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth.

There is no set date for the mission, and given that such projects typically take 18 to 24 months to come to fruition from the planning stages, it may not happen until 2025.

By this time, Major Peck will be 53 years old and must be in good physical shape in order for his place not to be taken.

Major Peck has already hinted at a return; When asked by James O’Brien during a… Recent podcasts If he ever returns to space, he replied, “Never say never.”

“If you had asked me that a year ago, I probably would have said there wasn’t as much opportunity,” Beck said.

“Actually, right now, I think there are more opportunities than I realized. There is a lot going on in the commercial space sector.

“It’s really ‘never say never’ – there are so many opportunities.”

A view of the Soyuz TMA-19M rocket carrying Tim Peake, as well as Yuri Malenchenko and Team Cobra, to the International Space Station in December 2015

Tim Peake, originally from Chichester in Sussex, was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and spent six months on the ISS from December 2015.

When he launched to the International Space Station, he officially became the first British astronaut, although he was not the first Briton in space.

It goes back to 1991 when Sheffield-born chemist Helen Sharman became not only the first British astronaut, but the first British person to travel into space.

Before Sharman and Beck went into space, other men born in the UK did so through NASA’s space programme, thanks to them becoming US citizens.

But Sharman and Peake are considered the first “official” Britons to go into space, as they represented the country of their birth.

Major Peake also became the first astronaut funded by the British government.

During his time aboard the International Space Station, he ran the London Marathon and became the first person to complete a spacewalk while carrying the Union Jack over his shoulder.

Learn about the astronauts who tend to fly into space with Tim Peake

Three Britons – including the world’s first ever ‘astronaut’ – are among the European Space Agency’s first new group of astronauts in nearly 15 years.

In November 2022, John McFall, Rosemary Coogan and Megan Christian were selected in a class of 17 men and women selected from 22,523 applicants.

They hope to follow in the footsteps of current British astronaut Tim Peake, who spent six months on the International Space Station (ISS) almost a decade ago.

Here’s a closer look at the three adventurers, who may be joined by Major Peake himself on a trip to the International Space Station.

John McFall

Briton John McFaul was chosen as the world’s first “astronaut” last November

John McFall, 42, is a British father of three, surgical trainee and Paralympic medalist.

Originally from Frimley in Surrey, Mr McFaul had his right leg amputated after a motorcycle accident in Thailand in 2000.

He was fitted with a prosthetic limb and is now working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate how this disability might affect his mission in space.

He won a bronze medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing among other accolades, before retiring to pursue medical studies at Cardiff University.

He put his medical career on hold to work with the European Space Agency and pursue his “passion for science and life.”

Rosemary Theresa Cogan is an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland

Rosemary Cogan

Rosemary Cogan, 32, is an astrophysicist originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

She went to school in Brighton and gained two master’s degrees from Durham University.

One focused on physics, mathematics, computer programming, and astronomy, while the other focused on gamma ray emission from black holes.

Cogan moved to the University of Sussex as a PhD researcher, where he studied the evolution of galaxies and the activity of active galactic nuclei.

From a young age, she spent several weeks a year away from home aboard military training ships and land bases as a junior officer with sea cadets from 2002 to 2009.

Megan studied at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

Megan Christian

Megan Christian, 35, is a graduate materials scientist from the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

She was born in Pembury in Kent but moved to Australia at an early age and attended Illawarra Grammar School in Wollongong.

She said she was inspired to become an astronaut when someone visited her school.

The materials scientist worked at the Italian National Research Council in Bologna and as a researcher at the Concordia Station in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth.

According to the European Space Agency, Megan has received several national awards for her outstanding research in engineering and industrial chemistry.

In addition to British and Italian citizenship, she also holds Australian and New Zealand citizenship.