British astronauts face ban from EU space agency

The European space agency is to launch a recruitment drive next month for a new generation of astronauts, but British applicants may be barred as the UK has not contributed to Europe's human spaceflight budget, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The paper says the agency expects up to 50,000 applicants, mainly doctors, scientists, pilots and engineers, when it opens the competition on 19 May. Only four will become astronauts.

While the ESA has promised to consider candidates from all 17 EU states, unless the British government decides to fund human spaceflight, any British applicant selected will likely be blocked from beginning the training, says the Telegraph.

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