British Paralympian could be first astronaut with physical disability to live in orbit | European Space Agency
A British Paralympic athlete and surgeon could become the first physically disabled person living in orbit after the government signed a deal with a US company building a small commercial space station.
John McFall, a member of the European Space Agency’s (Esa) astronaut reserve, received clearance to operate in orbit last year and will be able to take part in a mission to the Haven-1 space station immediately after its planned launch in 2027.
Vast, a California-based startup, is in the advanced stages of building Haven-1, which is slightly smaller than a single-decker bus. The station will house four astronauts and feature a maple-clad interior, a domed window for observing the Earth, and a laboratory for microgravity research.
“This is an exciting opportunity,” McFall said from Esa’s European astronaut center in Germany. The two-week mission will focus on how the space environment affects his body, as well as its effects on modern prosthetic limbs that often rely on sensors and microprocessors to function properly.
McFall’s research could benefit people with disabilities more broadly by developing designs for lighter, more compliant prosthetics. It could also lead to a better understanding of conditions such as osteoporosis and muscle wasting, and pave the way for better rehabilitation programs for amputees.
Beyond scientific goals, the mission will challenge preconceptions about the jobs people with disabilities can do, McFall said. “We’re saying it’s okay for people with disabilities to be astronauts,” he said. “We’ve shown that it’s possible, that we’re open-minded enough to give people the opportunities to do it and recognize that they’re equally capable.”
A memorandum of understanding will include the UK Space Agency supporting Vast to provide sponsorship to fund McFall’s flight. He and other astronauts would travel to Haven-1 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Another option for McFall is to launch a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with Vast next year.
McFall, 45, from Hampshire, lost his right leg in a motorbike accident when he was 19. After leaving the hospital, he devoted himself to sports and won a bronze medal in the 100 meters at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. He later qualified as an NHS orthopedic surgeon. He was selected for ESA’s squad in 2022. Fly! projectis investigating whether physically disabled astronauts can take part in long-term missions on the ISS.
“On a personal level, it’s about challenge, adventure and intrigue,” McFall said. “It satisfies my curiosity for knowledge and science. There’s also the crazy aspect of this: the fact that we have the potential to have humans in space. It’s extraordinary to be a part of this history.”
“I want to be a good astronaut. I want to do my job well. That’s my priority. I don’t want this to be a PR stunt. I don’t want this to be a fad. I’m very happy to be a pioneer and do something new, but above all I want to do a good job and I want it to be valuable both for space exploration and for the wider society on Earth.”
If McFall’s flight goes ahead, he will be the first Briton in space since 2015-16, when Tim Peake spent six months on the ISS as part of ESA’s Principia mission. “John McFall is an inspiration not only to the space community, but to everyone who is told there are limits to what they can achieve,” Peake said. “This agreement is a milestone for inclusive human spaceflight.”
