DISABILITY SCOOP: Astronaut Slated To Become First With Physical Disability To Live In Orbit
The U.K. Space Agency has partnered with the American commercial space company Vast to fund a potential historic mission for British surgeon and former Paralympic sprinter John McFall, who is on track to become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit. McFall, an amputee who was previously selected for the European Space Agency’s astronaut reserve and cleared for long-duration spaceflight, would travel to Vast's planned commercial space station, Haven-1, which is slated for launch in 2027. While firm mission plans are still being finalized, his time in orbit would focus on critical research regarding how prosthetics perform in microgravity and how the human musculoskeletal system adapts to space, potentially offering groundbreaking insights for rehabilitation and prosthetic design back on Earth.
