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.
John McFall, a member of the European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut reserve, was cleared for activities in orbit last year and could take part in a mission to the Haven-1 space station soon after its proposed launch in 2027.
Vast, a California startup, 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.
“It’s an exciting opportunity,” McFall said from Esa’s 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.
McFall’s 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.
Beyond the scientific goals, McFall said the mission would challenge preconceptions about the jobs people with disabilities could do. “We’re saying it’s OK for people with disabilities to be astronauts,” he said. “We’ve demonstrated that it’s possible, that we’re open-minded enough to give people the opportunities to do this and recognise that they are equally capable.”
A memorandum of understanding will involve the UK Space Agency supporting Vast to secure sponsorships to fund McFall’s flight. He and other astronauts would travel to Haven-1 in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. Another option for McFall is a private mission with Vast to the International Space Station (ISS) next year.
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’s Fly! project, which is exploring whether astronauts with physical disabilities can take part in long-duration missions to the ISS.
“On a personal level, it’s about the challenge, the adventure, the intrigue,” McFall said. “It’s quenching my curiosity for knowledge and science. And there’s 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.
“I want to be a good astronaut. I want to do my job well. That’s my priority. I don’t want it to be a PR stunt. I don’t want it to be a fad. I’m 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.”
If McFall’s flight goes ahead, he would become the first Briton in space since 2015-16, when Tim Peake spent six months on the ISS as part of Esa’s Principia mission. “John McFall is an inspiration, not just to the space community, but to everyone who has ever been told there are limits to what they can achieve,” Peake said. “This agreement is a landmark moment for inclusive human spaceflight.”
