Cornish climate proves challenging for US space crew

American crew and technicians in UK for historic mission find persistent rain and wind interesting but fun'

They are used to operating in extreme temperatures at their home base in the Mojave desert but American crew and technicians who are in the UK for a historic space mission are facing a very different challenge - the persistence of the Cornish rain and wind.

Asked what the issues were in organising a space adventure from the far south-west of Britain, launch director Deenah Sanchez immediately flagged up the Cornish climate. Honestly, getting used to the weather. In southern California we have extreme heat. Our systems are designed to take heat, humidity. Here it's different."