The European Space Agency (ESA) selected the first astronaut in the world with a disability. Is about john mcfalla British surgeon whom His right leg was amputated at the age of 19..
McFall, 41, is the first recruit for a new ESA program, the Parastronaut Feasibility Project, which investigates adaptations for astronauts with disabilities.
According to the report published on the website of Slash Gearthe European agency solicited applications in March 2021, looking for people with disabilities who could pass strict physical and psychological tests, but were limited by a lack of hardware adaptations.
The program will investigate the changes and costs required to send astronauts with disabilities into space. ESA chose McFall out of 257 participants and describes him as the world’s first “parastronaut”.
McFall, surgeon and athlete
Next spring, John McFall will enter the 12-month training program at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany.
“I have always been very interested in science in general and space exploration has always been on my radar. But having been in a motorcycle accident when I was 19, like wanting to join the military, having a disability was always a contraindication to doing so.”McFall recounted.
After the accident and amputation, the parastronaut learned to run again and won a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Paralympics. In addition, he has obtained various medical degrees and was a Staff Physician with the British National Health Service from 2014 to 2016.
“In early 2021, when the ad for an astronaut with a physical disability came out, I read the specifications of the person and what was involved, and I thought, ‘Wow, this is such a great and interesting opportunity.’ And I thought that he would be a very good candidate to help ESA answer the question that they were asking: ‘Can we take someone with a physical disability into space?’ And I felt compelled to apply”.
McFall currently works as a trauma and orthopedic specialist in the south of England.