Former ISS commander Chris Hadfield speaks exclusively to MailOnline trends now
Britain's foray into the vacuum of space did not exactly go according to plan earlier this month.
An air of excitement left the Cornish breeze quicker than a rapidly deflating balloon, as news filtered through that the first orbital launch on UK soil had ended with Virgin Orbit's rocket raining shards of debris over the Atlantic.
But despite this anti-climax, legendary former International Space Station (ISS) commander Chris Hadfield had words of encouragement for the UK space industry: first launches like these almost always end in failure.
'People want spaceflight to be easy, but it's not,' he said, speaking exclusively to MailOnline. 'As a veteran of three missions I can say it's almost insurmountable.
Exclusive chat: Former space station commander Chris Hadfield, who is due to tour the UK for a series of talks this summer, spoke to MailOnline about the Cornish space launch, British astronaut Tim Peake's retirement and the Artemis missions to the moon later this decade
Along with lift-off of Elon Musk's highly-anticipated Starship in the US and the announcement of the Artemis II crew, Hadfield believes more UK launches will soon follow, adding: 'It's an incredible time to be alive'
'[When things go wrong] the trick is to embrace failure alongside the successes in life, because both help us to learn and improve.'
The 63-year-old Canadian, who is due to tour the UK for a series of talks this summer, spoke exclusively to MailOnline about the Cornish space launch, British astronaut Tim Peake's retirement and the Artemis missions to the moon later this decade.
On Spaceport Cornwall's failure
Although the first ever orbital launch from British soil ended in failure earlier this month, Virgin Orbit's operations at Spaceport Cornwall are still up and running.
What the company now has to do is establish why its rocket didn't reach orbit, as the Newquay site desperately tries to hold off competition from rival spaceports aiming to snatch the 'first successful UK launch' crown from under its nose.
There are six more due to come online over the next few years — as Britain extends its reach to low-Earth orbit and beyond.
So what did Hadfield think of Cornwall's maiden launch?
'People want spaceflight to be easy, but it's extremely difficult. Everything is when you're doing it for the first time,' he said.
'No one is ever "ready" for launch but at some point you have to give it a try.
'The first flight of the F-14 (made famous by Tom Cruise in Top Gun) crashed, and the F-16 almost ended the same way, were it not for the incredible skill of the pilot.
'When it comes to maiden flights, the odds of success are frighteningly small.'
Although the first ever orbital launch from British soil ended in failure earlier this month, Virgin Orbit's operations at Spaceport Cornwall are still up and running (pictured)
The proud Canadian, who said he works closely with Sir Richard Branson as a member of Virgin Galactic's advisory board, expects the firm's sister company Virgin Orbit to get to the bottom of its gremlins soon.
Along with lift-off of Elon Musk's highly-anticipated Starship in the US and the announcement of the Artemis II crew, Hadfield believes more UK launches will soon follow, adding: 'It's an incredible time to be alive.'
On the retirement of Tim Peake
Hadfield had only warm words for British spaceman Tim Peake, who last week announced that he would be stepping down as an active astronaut.
'Tim is a wonderful guy. I hold him in such high regard as both a great person and a friend,' the former ISS commander said.
'From playing music with him in Star City in Russia, to him welcoming me like a Beefeater at Heathrow, I have many amazing memories of Tim [in the astronaut corps].
Great friends: Hadfield had only warm words for British spaceman Tim Peake, who last week announced that he would be stepping down as an active astronaut. The pair are pictured together at a memorial service for Stephen Hawking at Westminster Abbey
Hanging up his space suit: Britain's Tim Peake has announced his retirement as an astronaut
'I commend him, I congratulate him and most of all I look forward to seeing what he does next.'
A former British Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, Major Peake was selected as a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut in 2009 and spent six months onboard the International Space Station between 2015 and 2016.
He carried out the first ever spacewalk by an 'official' British astronaut and was the first person since Helen Sharman in 1991 to wear the Union Jack flag in space.
Announcing his retirement, the 50-year-old said going into orbit had been 'the most extraordinary experience' but that he would now be assuming an ambassadorial role for space.
On the chances of landing on the moon in 2025
NASA has set a deadline of returning human boots to the lunar surface in two years' time as part of its new Artemis programme, the successor to the Apollo programme of the 1960s and 1970s.
So does Hadfield think the goal is achievable?
NASA has set a deadline of returning human boots to the lunar surface in 2025. Pictured is an artist's impression of the SpaceX Starship human lander that will be used to carry them there
'I think it's possible. But we want to make sure everything is ready, especially as the next Artemis mission has people on board,' he said.
'Everything in life that is worth doing is a risk — I made three spaceflights in total but I calculated that they were a risk worth taking.
'That being said, we need to get it right.
'We'll go soon but only when we're ready — it could slip slightly [the timeline], but does it really matter if it's 2025 or 2026? The main thing is that
