FOR THOSE old enough to remember the excitement of the Apollo missions Tim Peake's venture into space was a step back in time.

Suddenly it became a compulsion once more to gather around the television screen at take-off. This was no mere small step. It was the moment Britain and Salisbury celebrated their place in the exploration of space.

Salisbury, or perhaps we should say Boscombe Down, makes its claim on Peake because it was here that he was selected for test pilot training in 2005. He graduated from the prestigious Empire Test Pilot School, a learning base for only the best pilots from Britain and those sent and sponsored by other friendly countries.

If you live in Salisbury and the surrounds you’ll not have failed to have seen its planes flying in our skies.

It’s a place where pilots are trained to take aircraft to the extremes of their limits and go beyond known safety limits, thus the origins of the phrase “push the envelope”.

While some will question the £8million that the UK has paid for its part in the space station project, others will recognise the advancement achieved from beyond the earth ventures.

From improvements to medicines and the creation of new materials are among the many.

Our Boscombe trained man will be using his own body for muscular and cartilage research, analysing the resilience of bacteria to ultraviolet radiation and carrying out climate change experiments among the 23 test he has been asked to carry out.

It’s a proud moment for the country and one that highlights yet another centre of excellence in the heart of our community.