British astronaut Tim Peake says he is relaxed and ready for his historic launch into space.
Asked if he was experiencing any last-minute nerves, the former Army aviator and helicopter test pilot said: "Not in the slightest.
"Our training really takes care of any apprehension you might have."
But he confessed he was expecting to feel a little under-par in space - nausea caused by the effects of weightlessness is experienced by nearly all astronauts during their time in orbit.
A Soyuz FG rocket carrying Major Peake and his two crew companions, Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko and American NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, is set to blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday at around 11am, UK time (2200 AEDT).
It will take six hours for them to reach the International Space Station (ISS), where they are scheduled to spend almost six months.
When he reaches Earth orbit father-of-two "Major Tim", 43, will officially become Britain's first man in space.
He is the first professional British astronaut to be employed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Previous "Brits in space" have either had US citizenship and worked for NASA, or been privately funded or sponsored.
Currently "Major Tim" is in quarantine, having as little physical contact with other people as possible to minimise the risk of infection.
During this period the crew have a chance to make mental preparations for the launch, while at the same time keeping busy trying out their pressure suits in the Soyuz space capsule and receiving last minute technical briefings.
Speaking to the Press Association by phone from Kazakhstan, Major Peake cited the docking procedure as the most hazardous part of the journey to the space station.
"Any time two vehicles come in close proximity in space is hazardous," he said.
"The docking needs to be closely monitored and you have to make sure you're on target and on speed."
During his spell on the space station, Major Peake will be conducting around 30 European experiments, but will participate in 265 in total.
"The space station is doing science both for the future of space exploration and for the benefit of people back on Earth," he said.
He also said he was looking forward to running the London Marathon on a treadmill aboard the space station next April.
To alleviate the boredom, he will have access to music and movies, and will also be connected to a "virtual" marathon that simulates running the race on Earth.
