Who is John McFall, First Astronaut With Disability Cleared By European Space Agency For Upcoming Mission- wna24
Paris: The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced astronaut John McFall’s name, first person with a physical disability, who will be on a mission to the International Space Station. The comes under ESA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative.
Who is John McFall?
John McFall is a 43-year-old British Surgeon and a former Paralympian. At the age of 19, McFall lost one of his legs in a major accident when he was on a motorbike.
The European Space Agency in 2022 had included McFall’s in the astronauts reserve list and since then it was experimenting someone with a prosthesis condition who would come as a crew member on a space mission.
Finally on Friday, the space agency approved McFall’s name for the mission.
McFall first reaction
McFall expressed he was hugely proud that the European Space Agency cleared his name for the long-duration mission and said that he was relatively passive during process.
I just have to be medically healthy and carry out the required talks, he added. ESA has termed the upcoming mission as ‘Parastronaut’.
ESA ‘Parastronaut’ a DEI initiative
Approving John McFall’s name is an initiative under the diversity, equity and inclusion by the European Space Agency.
Sharing its thoughts on the matter, ESA said, “We are now entering a world which is changing a bit from a DEI perspective from one of our partners of the International Space Station.”
“We will continue with our European values,” he emphasised, adding that all ISS partners — which includes the United States — had given McFall medical clearance, they said.
However, the space agency has yet not announced the dates for the mission.