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The Life Scientific: Episode 114: Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

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Helen Sharman

Episode 114

Episode 114: Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

BBC Radio 4 - The Life Scientific, Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

Helen Sharman talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the ups and downs of being in space.

Helen Sharman talks to Jim Al-Khalili about some of the less glamorous aspects of being in space and the difficult process of coming down to Earth.

Before Helen Sharman replied to a rather unusual radio advertisement her life was, in many ways, quite ordinary. She was working as a chemist in a sweet factory, creating and testing flavours. Much to her surprise, her application to be an astronaut was successful and two years later, following an intense 18 month training course at a military base just outside Moscow, she was selected for Project Juno, the 1991 mission to the Soviet space station, MIR. And so became the first British astronaut. On the 25th anniversary of this historic mission, Helen talks to Jim about her life before MIR; some of the less glamorous aspects of being in space; and the difficult process of coming down to earth. 
Producer: Anna Buckley.

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Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future

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Episode 114: Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

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