BRITISH worms will blast off into space as part of the first UK-led experiment to take place on the International Space Station in six years.

The UK Space Agency, based in Swindon, has sent hundreds of the C elegans worms - tiny nematodes - to America to be prepared for their launch date in November on the Space X Dragon capsule.

They will be sent to the space station in a bid to explore spaceflight-induced muscle loss compared to humans on earth – a programme known as the Molecular Muscle Experiment.

Spaceflight is an extreme environment that causes many negative health changes to the body and astronauts can lose up to 40 per cent of their muscle after 6 months in space.

Sue Horn, head of space exploration at the space agency, said: “I’m really pleased to have experiments ready to be conducted on the ISS.

“It was difficult to get this approved as only the best ideas are selected.

“We have put a lot of research into finding this specific species for the experiment and we believe this will show great results.”

The worm that sparked the subject for testing was found at a rubbish tip in Bristol, they have since bred more so there are enough of the creatures to send into orbit.

It marked the end of a difficult search and multiple attempts to find a worm that was the most suitable for studying muscular dystrophy.

Sue added: “Understanding changes to provide opportunities to understand how humans age on earth and develop counter measures for this is essential to the test.

“If this works it will help in so many ways with contributing to medicine on earth and it will also help astronauts.

The microscopic worms being used in the experiment share many of the essential biological characteristics as humans and experience biological changes in space, including alterations to muscles and the ability to use energy. C elegans worms have also been used to study genetics.

Sam Gyimah, science minister, said: “It’s not every day that you hear of the potential health benefits of sending worms into space, but this crucial project which is also the first of its kind, could lead to better treatment for muscular conditions for people on Earth as well as improving the wellbeing of our astronauts.”

Just a millimetre in length, they will be sent up in a container no bigger than the size of a matchbox.

They will be bred again at the space station, samples of medicine will then be administered to them and they will be frozen before being brought back down to earth.

Experiments are expected to take around 10 days and will be carried out over the space of three months. Some worms will act as a control group so scientists can compare changes and normality.

Sue was also optimistic that there could be an opportunity to find a way of helping astronauts recognise the first indication of diabetes whilst in space as their bodies don’t produce enough insulin whilst out of earth’s atmosphere.