Britain's Tim Peake cleared for his first spacewalk next week

British astronaut Tim Peake is due to take part in his first spacewalk next week, the European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed.

Major Peake and his colleague Tim Kopra will exit the International Space Station (ISS) on January 15 to repair a power unit on the outside. The operation is expected to last around six hours.

The pair arrived at the ISS on December 15.

Major Peake wrote on Twitter: "I am thrilled to be assigned a spacewalk in 10 days. Lots of work to do before Tim and I can open the hatch."