John McFall, a former Paralympian who is now an astronaut, believes that the Paralympics have helped to dispel stereotypes about what people with disabilities are capable of, and he may soon be the first disabled person to travel to space.
McFall became a professional Paralympic track and field athlete after learning to run again after a motorcycle accident at the age of 19 and the injury resulted in the amputation of his right leg. What’s more, after placing third in the 100-metre T42 event at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he went on to become an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon.
On being the world’s first ‘parastronaut’
When the European Space Agency (ESA) announced a new class of trainee astronauts in 2022, McFall became the first “parastronaut” in history. McFall has participated in the ESA’s feasibility research called “Fly!”, which evaluated the potential difficulties a disabled person would have during space travel. The study found out that “it is technically feasible for someone with a physical disability like mine to fly to space and to live and work as a fully integrated member of the ISS crew for a long mission”.
McFall expressed his optimism that the ESA will enable someone with a physical disability to fly, noting that a portion of the study is scheduled to be completed at year’s end. He said: “I hope that I get the opportunity to fly in the future. That would be tremendous. And I also hope that I can sow the seed for a legacy to follow on from, to look at the feasibility to fly with a wider range of disabilities.”
In a press release, the ESA stated that McFall’s participation in the project, which included zero-gravity flights and training in winter and sea survival, was “a significant milestone in the journey towards inclusivity in space exploration”. The agency mentioned: “To this day, ‘Fly!’ has not identified any showstoppers which would prevent an astronaut with a disability like John’s from joining a long-duration mission to the International Space Station, which typically lasts six months.”
On how Paralympics change perceptions about disabled people
Moreover, McFall described the Paralympics as an opportunity to show that sports may alter the way the public views individuals with disabilities. He declared: “Elite athletes inspire so many people. Lots of people do sport and have this admiration for what it takes to compete at the elite level… From the Paralympic point of view, it’s hugely important to connect with a wider audience, to make wider society aware of what people with physical disabilities are capable of.”
He added: “In the same vein, I think you can probably consider being an astronaut as a difficult, challenging job. So there is that admiration there to have someone with a physical disability in this position.”
McFall also remarked that his experience as a Paralympian athlete, his history in science and medicine, and his traumatic amputation all played a part in his current goal. He stated: “I think all these have stood me in really good stead to help bridge the gap between this ambition that the ESA has and my background… To try and achieve this goal of potentially (being) the first person with a physical disability to become an astronaut.”
Source: CNN