A British Paralympian and surgeon could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit after the government signed a deal with a US company that is building a small commercial space station.<\/p>\n
John McFall, a member of the European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut reserve, was cleared for activities in orbit last year<\/a> and could take part in a mission to the Haven-1 space station soon after its proposed launch in 2027.<\/p>\n Vast, a California startup<\/a>, is in the advanced stages of constructing Haven-1, which is a little smaller than a single-decker bus. The station will house up to four astronauts and features a maplewood veneer interior, a domed window for observing Earth, and a laboratory for microgravity research.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an exciting opportunity,\u201d McFall said from Esa\u2019s European astronaut centre in Germany. The two-week mission will focus on how the space environment affects his body and also its effects on modern prosthetic limbs, which often rely on sensors and microprocessors to function properly.<\/p>\n McFall\u2019s research could bring benefits for disabled people more widely by driving designs for lighter and more adaptable prosthetics. It could also further understanding of conditions such as osteoporosis and muscle wastage, and pave the way for better rehabilitation programmes for amputees.<\/p>\n Beyond the scientific goals, McFall said the mission would challenge preconceptions about the jobs people with disabilities could do. \u201cWe\u2019re saying it\u2019s OK for people with disabilities to be astronauts,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve demonstrated that it\u2019s possible, that we\u2019re open-minded enough to give people the opportunities to do this and recognise that they are equally capable.\u201d<\/p>\n An illustration from Vast depicts the Haven-1 space station with a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule docked. Illustration: https:\/\/www.vastspace.com\/<\/p>\n A memorandum of understanding will involve the UK Space Agency supporting Vast to secure sponsorships to fund McFall\u2019s flight. He and other astronauts would travel to Haven-1 in SpaceX\u2019s Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. Another option for McFall is a private mission with Vast to the International Space Station<\/a> (ISS) next year.<\/p>\n McFall, 45, from Hampshire, lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19. After leaving hospital, he threw himself into sport and won bronze in the 100m at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. He later qualified as an NHS orthopaedic surgeon. In 2022, he was selected for Esa\u2019s Fly! project<\/a>, which is exploring whether astronauts with physical disabilities can take part in long-duration missions to the ISS.<\/p>\n \u201cOn a personal level, it\u2019s about the challenge, the adventure, the intrigue,\u201d McFall said. \u201cIt\u2019s quenching my curiosity for knowledge and science. And there\u2019s also the craziness of it: the fact that we have the potential to have humans in space. To be part of that history is phenomenal.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be a good astronaut. I want to do my job well. That\u2019s my priority. I don\u2019t want it to be a PR stunt. I don\u2019t want it to be a fad. I\u2019m very happy to be a pioneer and do something new, but first and foremost, I want to do a good job and I want it to be of value, both for space exploration and for wider society back on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n