Europe names world’s first disabled astronaut
The European Space Agency (ESA) named the world's first disabled astronaut "para-astronaut" for the 2022 Astronaut Training Class, which it opened to train new astronauts.
The European Space Agency on Wednesday named the first ever “parastronaut” in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space,, Reuters reports.
The 22-nation agency said it had selected former British Paralympic sprinter John McFall as part of a new generation of 17 recruits picked for astronaut training.
He will take part in a feasibility study designed to allow ESA to assess the conditions needed for people with disabilities to take part in future missions.
McFall entered various tournaments as a Paralympic runner after losing his leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19.
McFall won a bronze medal in the 100m at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008.
The 31-year-old doctor will help ESA engineers design changes in hardware needed to open professional spaceflight to a wider group of qualified candidates, the agency said.
“I think the message that I would give to future generations is that science is for everyone and space travel hopefully can be for everyone,” McFall said.
