<\/p>\n McFall, 45, is a surgeon with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident when he was 19. He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash<\/a> at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.<\/p>\n Vast is developing a line of Haven outposts<\/a>, and Haven-1 is set to be the first in low Earth orbit<\/a> (LEO). It will launch aboard a SpaceX<\/a> Falcon 9 rocket as soon as next year.<\/p>\n The newly signed memorandum of understanding is not a guarantee that McFall will fly to Haven-1. Rather, it “will see the U.K. Space Agency support Vast to secure sponsorships to fund a spaceflight for John,” U.K. officials wrote in a June 2 statement<\/a> announcing the agreement.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n If McFall does indeed get to fly, he will work on research related to physiology, as well as prosthetics and movement in space. The U.K. government noted that his work could directly benefit millions of people, and also further ESA’s goal of expanding access to space, as well as Europe’s role in enabling private interests to work in LEO.<\/p>\n “The findings could have significant benefits for disabled people here on Earth, such as the design of lighter, more adaptable prosthetics on Earth,” U.K. officials wrote in the statement. “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.”<\/p>\n “Signing this agreement with Vast is incredibly exciting,” McFall said in the announcement. “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 \u2014 on Earth or in space.”<\/p>\n U.K. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said that McFall’s history of accomplishments in sports, medicine and science show his extraordinary determination.<\/p>\n “The UK is committed to being at the forefront of inclusive human spaceflight,” Lloyd said in the same announcement. “This builds on the groundbreaking work John has already done and opens the door to a genuine flight opportunity. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”<\/p>\n![\"Space\"](\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/media\/img\/spc-logo-w.svg\"){kind=logo}
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