Who is Major Tim Peake and why is he going into space?

“It was great to watch Tim Peake blast off on his mission to join the International Space Station”, British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter.

Fire from the boosters of the Soyuz rocket cut a bright light through the overcast sky at the Russia-operated cosmodrome as the spacecraft launched on schedule at 5:00am local time, according to live television broadcasts.

The British astronaut will make history as the first person from the country to officially visit the International Space Station.

Mr Peake will spend six months on board the ISS where he will conduct scientific experiments and carry out educational projects created to attract young people into science.

In his last interview before the flight, Peake told the media that he was most looking forward to the view of Earth, saying: “I don’t think anything can really prepare you for that moment”.

The crew will take six hours to rendezvous with the International Space Station, which passed directly over the launch site just before lift-off.

Other Britons who have flown into space did so either as private individuals – Richard Garriott and Mark Shuttleworth – or by taking U.S. citizenship – the Nasa astronauts Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick.

Major Peake launched from the same spot from which Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in April 1961. And it started a debate about whether he is the first Brit in space…… Malenchenko is one of the most experienced cosmonauts in the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) programme, reports the BBC.

The former Army helicopter pilot is the first “official” United Kingdom astronaut, the BBC reports, having been chosen for the mission by the European Space Agency.

Major Peake could be identified by the Union Flag on his sleeve.

Mr Peake’s wife Rebecca was heard to say: “Wasn’t it an awesome sight?”