Brit chosen to be European astronaut

PARIS, May 20 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency announced its selection Wednesday of a British helicopter pilot to be one of its six new astronauts.

Maj. Timothy Peake, 37, of the Army Air Corps will be the first Briton to fly into space under the British flag, The Times of London reports.

Four Britons have flown into space previously but three became U.S. citizens to fly on American shuttles while the fourth joined a Russian mission with private funding.

Peake was chosen by the European Space Agency after a grueling selection process that attracted more than 8,400 applicants.

Currently the ESA has eight astronauts in its corps from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden.

Selecting a Briton was unusual because the UK has never funded a manned space mission, preferring instead to concentrate on robotic probes.

ESA says Peake will take part in missions to the International Space Station "and one day to the Moon and beyond."