Astronaut Slated To Become First With Physical Disability To Live In Orbit

A former Paralympian is on track to become the first person with a physical disability to enter orbit.

Officials with the U.K. Space Agency said they have reached an agreement with an American commercial space company called Vast to put plans in motion. Vast is expected to launch the world’s first commercial space station, known as Haven-1, in 2027.

Under the arrangement, Vast will seek sponsorships to fund astronaut John McFall’s trip to the company’s space station.

McFall is a British surgeon and former Paralympic sprinter who had his right leg amputated after a motorbike accident at age 19.

In 2022, McFall was selected as a member of the European Space Agency’s astronaut reserve to participate in a study assessing the feasibility of space flight for astronauts with physical disabilities. Last year, the agency said McFall was the first astronaut with a disability to receive medical clearance to serve as a fully integrated crew member on a six-month mission to the International Space Station.

“Signing this agreement with Vast is incredibly exciting,” McFall said. “If we can make this mission happen, it won’t just be a milestone for human spaceflight, it will send a powerful message about what people with disabilities are capable of, and that there should be no limit to what you can achieve — on Earth or in space.”

There are no firm plans for a mission yet. But, if McFall does go to the Vast space station, he is expected to conduct research on “human physiology and musculoskeletal adaptation, how prosthetics perform in microgravity, and how people move and balance in space,” the U.K. Space agency said.

“The findings could have significant benefits for disabled people here on Earth, such as the design of lighter, more adaptable prosthetics on Earth. They could also deepen our understanding of conditions like osteoporosis or muscle wastage that affect many disabled people and provide new insights into rehabilitation techniques for amputees,” according to the agency.