BRITAIN'S only astronaut has encouraged youngsters to boldly go for a career in space as he touched down in Glasgow.

Major Timothy Peake will launch into space in 2015 after being just one of six people selected from 8000 applications for a job as an astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA).

He will spend almost six months living on the International Space Station, carrying out research in zero gravity conditions.

At the UK Space Conference at the SECC in Glasgow, Major Peake spoke to schoolchildren, university students and educators about the opportunities available in the space industry.

While he was one of the lucky few to land his dream job, he pointed out the many possibilities for employment in an industry worth billions to the British economy.

Major Peake, 41, a former Apache helicopter pilot with the British Army, said: "The UK space industry has been a bit of a hidden secret for a number of years, but it employs 68,000 and is worth £9 billion to the British economy every year.

"When people think about space they might automatically imagine astronauts and space exploration, but in fact what the UK does the least of is getting involved in manned space expeditions.

"Mostly what we do best is build satellites and components and it's very big business. We do a lot of work on solar panel and battery technology and build things like Mars Rovers, for example."

With around two-and-a-half years until he goes into space, Major Peake – who is from Sussex but is based at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne – is stepping up his preparation.

He and his fellow astronauts have already been through a rigorous selection process, with plenty more to come. In 2012, he spent a week at the bottom of the ocean on a simulated asteroid exploration mission, and before that, there were also months of tests to determine if he had what it took to handle the job.

Major Peake said: "The ESA had an open application process for the six posts in 2008, with anyone from any of the countries which contribute to the ESA entitled to apply as long as you had a degree or more than 1000 hours of flying time.

"Luckily, I had both and I was put through a year-long selection process which involved things like testing my spatial awareness, memory recollection and psychological profile.

"I have a certain amount of physical training to do too, because space is a tough place for the human body to be. There will be muscle wastage and bone mass loss, so the fitter you are, the better."

Today's third and final day of the UK Space Conference is open to the public and tickets are completely sold out.

Major Peake told the audience yesterday: "It might be unlikely that you will find a job as an astronaut, but it's not impossible.

"I was one of those who thought it would never be me, but here I am."