The new UK Space Agency was launched in London yesterday by Lord Drayson, Lord Mandelson and Britain’s astronaut Tim Peake.

Attending from Bilborough College, Nottingham, was bright spark Ryan Macdonald who won a place at the event following his entry to the Colleges Week 'I'm running the show' competition.

Sixteen year old Ryan's winning video, entitled "If I ruled the world", offered a compelling argument for the importance of long-term goals in space policy.

Ryan was able to meet some of the biggest names in UK space at the event including Tim Peake, the British astronaut currently based in Russia for intensive astronaut training and Prof. Brian Cox, astrophysicist and presenter of the current BBC 2 series ‘Wonders of the Solar System'.

He also had the chance to question the science minister Lord Drayson on his vision for the next 100 years of UK space.

Ryan is studying AS levels in Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths at Bilborough College, Nottingham. He is also a member of the Youth Parliament for Derby.

Martin Doel, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: "Ryan’s winning entry to the Colleges Week 'I'm running the show’ competition showed he has clear ideas about the long-term future of the UK space industry. "He is a talented student with the scientific curiosity which colleges aim to nurture across the country. I’m glad his visit to the launch of the new UK Space Agency gave him the opportunity to see what a career in the space industry is like and wish him the best of luck in fulfilling his dream of working in the sector."

Colleges Week is a celebration of the opportunities colleges create for individuals, businesses and Britain and ran from 9 – 15 November 2009. The week was coordinated by the Association of Colleges and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.