Major Tim Peake became the first UK astronaut when he blasted off at 11.03am from Baikonur, Kazakhstan today. He has now successfully docked, with fellow crew members, a Russian and an American, at the International Space Station where he’ll stay for six months.

The launch chart has the high-tension Mars in Libra opposition Uranus square Pluto; and the Sagittarius Sun square an 8th house Jupiter which will hopefully bring luck from the universe.

Born 7 April 1972 in Chichester, England, he’s an Aries Sun in a trail-blazing opposition to Uranus. With a determined Mercury in Aries opposition Pluto square lucky Jupiter in Capricorn. He’s certainly not short of initiative with all those Cardinal planets. He’s also got Saturn Venus Mars in Gemini opposition Neptune so disciplined, passionately enthusiastic, a dreamer.

Indeed he’s got an Air Grand Trine of those three Gemini planets trine Pluto trine North Node in Aquarius, all focussed into a Kite with cosmic Neptune as the driving planet.

It looks a fairly bumpy ride over the next few months with some lucky, high-spirited moments as well.

Angela Merkel won a lengthy standing ovation from her party after pledging to “tangibly reduce” the number of refugees entering Germany. Though she refused to put a number on migrants who would be given entry. She also emphasised that other EU countries must do their bit and that refugees had to assimilate German language and customs.

She’s still not out of the woods politically, however much admiration her humanitarian stance has brought her. Local councils are struggling to manage basic amenities for the 1 million who arrived in 2015. Tr Neptune continues to oppose her Jupiter/Saturn midpoint till mid January which is usually career losses. Then she has the challenging tr Pluto square tr Uranus hitting on her Midheaven next year. Uranus is conjunct her IC opposition her MC in February which heralds house moves if not instantly then certainly in the near future; and then tr Pluto square MC from March till late 2018 and that could bring her reputation to a new low.

2016 has some ups from tr Uranus to a couple of Jupiter midpoints in Feb/March, but tr Uranus is moving to square her 8th house Uranus Sun in Cancer from late May onwards which will be jolting and uncomfortable. And tr Saturn is heading for her Ascendant which it briefly crosses early in the year and then makes the final move in October. She’ll run out of energy, enthusiasm and ambition as tr Saturn heads downwards through her 1st quadrant thereafter.

Though she won’t go easy. She’s got endurance with four planets in the 8th.

Her 3rd Term chart, 17 Dec 2013 12.06pm Berlin, has the destabilising Solar Arc Uranus square Pluto exact in two months’ time. Though before is usually more significant than the exact date. On that chart she’ll get a lift in February and be pushing – possibly over-pushing with too much confidence which could backfire – from March onwards till late 2017. Late 2016 looks discouraging with tr Saturn conjunct Mercury, square Ascendant and then conjunct Sun in 2017. The very insecure, reckless, solar Arc Mars opposes Uranus also in 2017, which is when the next election is.

The ‘who succeeds’ question is becoming more urgent in Zimbabwe as Robert Mugabe, now 91, grows ever frailer. He has ruled with an iron fist since 4 March 1980, 35 years which has seen a once thriving economy destroyed, hyper-inflation raging and the population beaten into submission. All power and most money lies with his corrupt cronies and the successor is likely to come from their ranks. There is even talk it could be his wife Grace.

His Presidency chart, will be de-stabilised by tr Uranus opposition the Pluto from mid April 2016, on and off for a year thereafter. Though given his track record for surviving against all the odds, it may be late 2017/early 2018 when the Solar Arc Sun opposes Pluto that brings his reign to a close. 2018 also has tr Pluto square Pluto – so an almighty amount of pushing and pulling.

This accords with the Zimbabwe chart, 18 April 1980 12am Harare. Tr Uranus opposes Pluto on that also from April 2016 until early 2017 which will start the upheaval; and then tr Uranus will conjunct the Aries Sun and IC in 2018 – so shaking the country to its foundations. In 2018 as well, Solar Arc Saturn will oppose the Sun; and tr Pluto will trine the 8th house Saturn in 2018/19 – so it will be a tough struggle with even more hardship and economic problems.

Grace Mugabe, 23 July 1964, is a Sun Leo, with a lively Venus Mars in Gemini, an indulgent Jupiter in Taurus opposition a delusional Neptune; and a Capricorn Moon.

She doesn’t look remotely a good fit for Zimbabwe with her Saturn in Pisces opposing the Z Jupiter; and her Mars Venus square the Z Saturn and opposition the Z Neptune.

She does have tr Neptune opposition her Uranus Pluto now till late 2017 which will be undermining. But then from 2018 tr Pluto will trine her Jupiter which looks confident, pushy and successful, more’s the pity.

Charlotte Rampling also picked up two awards at the European Film Festival, one lifetime and one as best actress for 45 Years.

Born 5 Feb 1946 7.20 am London, she’s got a very Airy chart with Sun Venus Mercury in Aquarius trine Uranus in Gemini trine Neptune in Libra with Jupiter also in Libra. The Air Grand Trine is formed into a Kite by Sun Mercury Venus opposition Pluto – so a powerful, determined personality. Though with Pluto in the 7th she’s attracted to intense, controlling partners.

She’s also got a really difficult Mars Saturn conjunct in Cancer in her 6th trine a Pisces Moon. Tr Uranus square tr Pluto has been bouncing off that conjunction through 2015 – her long-time partner died earlier this year – and some of those difficult aspects will roll on for another year or two.

There’s nothing much to suggest success at the Oscars. Not that she would be that fussed, I imagine.

The most recent of China’s financial high flyers to disappear and re-appear, apparently ‘assisting’ authorities in their corruption clean-up campaign, is Guo Guangchang. Described as China’s Warren Buffett, he’s the founder of Fosun Group which has interests in media, insurance, real estate and retail. Recently it took control of French holiday group Club Med in a deal worth $1bn.

Born 16 February 1967, he’s a Sun Aquarius on the focal point of a Yod to a lucky Jupiter in Cancer sextile Uranus in Virgo. The Sun here can give an awkwardness of manner and if not handled well a tendency to mis-use personal power. The ego either overplays or underplays or both at different times.

He’s also got a creative and self-protective Water Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Saturn Venus in Pisces trine Neptune in Scorpio, formed into a Kite by Saturn Venus opposition Uranus Pluto in Virgo. So very talented and a trailblazer with Uranus Pluto driving.

He does look paralysed at the moment with a scary Solar Arc Mars square his Pluto and with the Eclipses in 2015/16 hitting on his Virgo Pisces opposition planets.