The Science Museum Group has announced its acquisition of the Soyuz spacecraft in which Major Tim Peake, the UK’s first European Space Agency astronaut to stay on the International Space Station, undertook his recent Principia mission with crewmates Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra.The museum’s display will build on the success of its recent Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age exhibition, opened by the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, with Alexei Leonov and Helen Sharman taking part in events surrounding the exhibition. Further details will be released in due course.Group director Ian Blatchford signed the acquisition document for Soyuz TMA-19M in the presence of RSC Energia, the craft’s manufacturer, and ROSCOSMOS, the Russian Space Agency, marking the 50th anniversary of the first-ever unmanned Soyuz flight.

Inspiring the next generation

Said Mr Blatchford, “Russian ingenuity led to the birth of the space age, and today it still plays a critical role, notably in long-duration missions to pave the way for the next great leap into the cosmos.“It is a great honour to be here to officially acquire the first flown human spacecraft in the Science Museum Group collection, one which allowed Tim Peake to make his historic journey to the International Space Station which we plan to share with the public to help inspire future generations.”Tim Peake said, “I’m absolutely delighted that my Soyuz spacecraft, the TMA-19M, is going to be returning here to the UK and may serve, hopefully, as inspiration for our next generation of scientists and engineers.”

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Developing STEM skills

Inspiring tomorrow’s workforce is very much in tune with Relocate Global’s focus on education, schools and skills development, and its commitment to supporting employers to recruit and develop talent, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), which are so crucial to global prosperity and growth, particularly in challenging economic times and with Brexit now a reality. As we report in the Winter 2016/17 edition of Relocate magazine, the UK space sector is a real success story. It is currently worth almost £12 billion a year, directly supports 37,000 jobs, and has grown at an average of nearly 9 per cent since 2000. Planning ahead to meet future science and engineering skills needs is key to its future success.Our winter issue coverage of the STEM agenda also includes a focus on how leading UK car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover is securing a sustainable future by investing in the next generation of engineers and new technologies.The new Relocate Global Guide to Education & Schools in the UK and the 2017 edition of our Guide to International Education & Schools, which include coverage of STEM education, will be available shortly. Both are invaluable resources for relocating parents, employers, HR and relocation professionals.Relocate Global’s Gala Awards Dinner will be held at the Science Museum on Thursday 11 May. Says Fiona Murchie, Relocate’s managing editor, “These awards are all about showcasing excellence, innovation and best practice, so the Science Museum is the perfect venue for celebrating our winners in this tenth anniversary year.”