John McFall, a former Paralympian, is currently participating in ground-breaking astronaut training with the European Space Agency (ESA) to determine if people with physical disabilities can safely live and work in space. McFall lost the lower part of his right leg in a motorcycle accident when he was 19, and he is now testing the effects of a centrifuge, which simulates gravitational forces similar to those felt during a spacecraft take-off and re-entry. McFall is the first astronaut candidate with a physical disability to work on this project, which focuses on understanding whether prosthetic hardware needs adapting to make it possible for someone with a physical disability to go into space.
The ESA is studying how to adapt spacecraft and spacesuits, as well as prosthetic legs, for astronauts with physical disabilities. McFall wears a hi-tech prosthesis, but he has removed it to test the effects of the centrifuge on his upper leg. ESA flight surgeon, Maybritt Kuypers, monitored his vitals and remarked on the blood flow of the astronaut. As an amputee, McFall may have several prosthetic legs on the International Space Station (ISS), including one for running, one for general use, and one mechanical leg worn in spacesuits during launch and return.
While McFall is not guaranteed a space flight, he hopes this study can show what people with physical disabilities are capable of achieving. He paused his career as an orthopaedic surgeon to participate in ESA astronaut training and moved his family to the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. McFall’s study in the centrifuge has shown that, so far, there is nothing preventing a person with physical disabilities from participating in space travel. He will continue his training and testing, hoping to inspire people that with a physical disability, anything is possible.
This project is the first of its kind to test whether people with physical disabilities can safely go to space. ESA’s Frank De Winne acknowledges the numerous talents within the disabled community, and he hopes this project shows that anyone can become an astronaut with the right training and adaptations
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