Traveling in space becomes possible even for disabled people.
The former British Paralympic champion John McFallselected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as a candidate to be the first disabled astronaut in history, can fly a mission to the International Space Station, ESA said after a feasibility study published on Friday.
“At the moment, we have not identified any technical obstacles to performing a long-duration mission aboard the ISS as a crew member,” announced Jerome Reineix, head of this study. The doctor and former Paralympic athletics champion, McFall with an amputated right leg was selected in 2022 by ESA to participate in its training program and become the first “paraastronaut” in history.
He participated in extreme weather survival training and specific training for astronauts assigned to an orbiting mission.
John McFall, the first disabled person to become an astronaut (ESA)
McFall’s second life
Mcfall lost a leg after a moped accident when he was 19, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his ambitions.
He first graduated in sports science, then took a master’s degree in Wales. Then he becomes a champion in sport, takes to the track as a sprinter, becomes a Paralympic athlete, world champion in the 200 meters and bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games in the 100 meters.
As well as being an athlete, John sat on the UK Athletics Athlete Council, giving a voice to other athletes in the World Class Podium Programme.
He then graduated in medicine and became an orthopedic surgeon. In 2021 he presents himself at the European Space Agency where they are looking for people with disabilities to understand if it is possible for a paraastronaut to go into space. He discovers that it is possible. He will be the first disabled astronaut in history.
John McFall, the first disabled person to become an astronaut (ESA)
