A British astronaut could walk on the surface of the moon as early as 2025, NASA claims

A British astronaut could walk on the surface of the moon as early as 2025, NASA has claimed. 

The space agency reportedly told the British Government it was 'incredibly possible' that a Brit could make it on board next year's Artemis III mission.

The highly anticipated launch is set to bring humans back onto the moon's surface for the first time in more than 50 years, making history by exploring the lunar South Pole.

So far only 12 people have ever walked on the moon's surface. 

All have been American, and did so as part of NASA's Apollo space programme. 

Michelle Donelan, the Science Secretary, however, said that it was 'only a matter of time until we get a British person on the Moon'.

The Secretary of State, who visited NASA earlier this week, told the Telegraph: 'I asked NASA, in relation to the Artemis programme, what was the feasibility around the Artemis 3 mission, and they said it was incredibly possible.

'We have one of the most innovative space sectors in the world, and we have some fantastic talents, homegrown. Look at Tim Peake.

'The second Artemis mission will be going around the moon, and then the third one will go on the moon. So arguably the one to be in is the third one.' 

Mr Peake was the first British astronaut to go into the International Space Station. He hopes to walk on the moon at some point in his life. 

Three other British astronauts were chosen to join the ESA last year and could be in the running. They are Rosemary Coogan, Meganne Christian and John McFall, a former Paralympian.

Ms Donelan even suggested that UK astronauts should be involved in the first missions to Mars in the next decade.

In recent years a new space race has begun with countries scrambling to test new technology on the moon that could eventually help people land on the red planet. 

Last month India announced it wanted to put an astronaut on the moon by 2040, with Prime minister Narendra Modi vowing to build the country's first space station. He also asked scientists to work on missions towards Venus and Mars.

NASA's Artemis programme - which launched its first mission last year -  is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other agencies in Japan, Germany, Israel and Canada.

The UK is one of the biggest contributors to the ESA, donating around £400m a year. 

The first mission Artemis mission took off in November of last year, using the new Orion spacecraft, with another launch set in November 2024, which plans to put astronauts in orbit around the Lunar Gateway satellite.

The third mission is expected to put astronauts back on the moon by December 2025. 

The UK space industry employs 50,000 people across the country and is worth £17.5 billion to the British economy, Government figures show.