Space race
British Paralympian sprinter is world’s first disabled astronaut
A BRITISH Paralympic athlete has been selected by the European Space Agency to take part in its astronaut training programme.
John McFall, 41, is believed to be the world’s first disabled astronaut and has now set his sights on also becoming the first to go into space.
The sprinter, from Frimley, Surrey, lost his right leg in a motorbike accident at the age of 19.
He became a professional track and field athlete in 2005, going on to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Paralympics.
John, who won bronze in the 100 metres at the 2008 Games in Beijing, described the opportunity as “exciting and exhilirating”.
He added: “I felt compelled to try and help ESA answer this question: Can we get someone with a physical disability to do meaningful work in space?”
Also joining the class of 2022 as a career astronaut is British astronomer Rosemary Coogan.
The 31-year-old, born in Northern Ireland, described being selected as a “welcome surprise”.
Meanwhile, Meganne Christian, 34, who was born in the UK and studied in Australia, becomes a member of the ESA’s astronaut reserve. This is made up of candidates who were successful through the entire selection process but not recruited. Astronauts in the reserve will remain employed by their current employers. Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “This is a momentous day for the UK Space Agency, our space sector and the country as a whole. “Through our investment in the European Space Agency, the UK is playing a leading role in space exploration and collaborating with international partners to use the unique vantage point of space to benefit life on Earth.
“I am sure Rosemary, John and Meganne will become heroes for many young people.
“It’s also important to remember that, behind every astronaut, there is a dedicated team of people, including in the UK, working behind the scenes to achieve the incredible.”
More than 22,500 people applied to join the programme, including around 2,000 from the UK. During ESA’s last call for astronauts in 2008, the number of applicants who provided a medical certificate and finalised their online application was 8,413. Tim Peake was one of those selected, becoming the first British astronaut to be part of the ESA corps.