‘Spaceship-building’ coming to the North West | Manchester News

A retired astronaut has said the North-West could become a centre for “spaceship-building”.

Tim Peake said a major agreement to develop space technology in Liverpool and Manchester would “inspire future generations”.

Mr Peake is now an advisor to US-based firm Axiom Space, which is building the world’s first commercial space station.

On Thursday Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham signed a agreement with Axiom to develop space technology.

Mr Peake, who has worked on the International Space Station, told Radio Merseyside the global space economy is tipped to exceed “half a trillion dollars” by the end of the decade.

“These areas of the economy that are going to be with us for future generations to come and it’s also going to help to inspire those future generations,” he said.

“They’ll see a growing workforce in the region. They’ll realise they’ve got really exciting, inspirational careers to go into so the knock-on effects are going to be very beneficial for many years to come.”

The deal was struck off the back of conversations between Mr Peake and Mr Rotheram in Liverpool.

Mr Peake said: “We were talking about the fantastic opportunities that there are in the North West because of the skill sets that are around the technologies, the industrial base that’s already there, and how to kind of join the two together.

“We are bringing shipbuilding back to Liverpool, it’s just spaceship building. It was it was really fun conversation.”

Mr Rotheram said on Thursday: “Let’s face it, when we were growing up as kids people going into space was the ultimate, wasn’t it?”

“And all of a sudden, you can get people from the Liverpool City Region who will be part of the development of a new space station.

“I think that’s brilliant and it just shows you the journey that we’ve been on as a city region when we’re attracting these global brands.”