Become a Part of the Booming Care Industry.

Enquire Now

The World’s First ‘Parastronaut’

December 20, 2022
HCPA

Now for a world first… The European Space Agency (ESA) made history last week with the announcement of the first “parastronaut”. The bold adventurer is 41-year-old UK citizen, John McFall, a former Paralympic sprinter who had his right leg amputated after a motorbike accident at the age of nineteen.

McFall is the first candidate selected for the Parastronaut Feasibility Project. It is described by the ESA as a “serious, dedicated and honest attempt to clear the path to space for a professional astronaut with a physical disability”.

The ESA is exploring what changes to training and equipment need to be made for a physically disabled person to travel to space. NASA first selected astronauts for the Mercury Seven space endeavour in 1959. Recruitment then was limited to male military test pilots less than forty-years-old, in excellent physical and mental health, and less than 1.8m tall, as the Mercury capsule was tiny.

NASA uses a similar basic eligibility screening process, where applicants must have 20/20 vision (corrective lenses and laser eye surgery are okay), with blood pressure under 140/90. Their height must also be between 1.49 and 1.93m. If accepted into the basic training, the successful applicants must complete a two-year training period. They must master complex space hardware and software, perform simulated spacewalks in Houston’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and experience weightlessness during a parabolic flight.

Astronaut selection criteria have slowly evolved since the first all-male, all-military cohorts. The first female in space was Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. She flew on the Vostok 6 capsule in 1963. It was well over a decade before NASA selected female astronauts. Sally Ride became the first US woman in space aboard the shuttle Challenger in 1983. The first NASA astronaut of colour, Guion “Guy” Bluford, flew also flew in ‘83. The 2021 NASA astronaut class consisted of ten candidates. It included four women and several candidates from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Diversity in astronaut selection has lagged behind in society. The ESA has made more than a small step with the Parastronaut Project. Space travel remains a high-risk venture in an extreme environment. There are significant physical and mental challenges to overcome, and it is still a long way from anyone being able to travel to space. However, this moment of inclusivity is a giant leap for all mankind.

HCPA would like to tip our space helmets to John McFall and everything he has achieved. We are excited for a future where everyone has an equal opportunity, and can find their place in this world, or beyond it.

If you are interested in the world and future of disability support, please contact us here and we can discuss how your time and skills can help build a better future for all.

SOURCES | The world finally has its first ‘parastronaut’. Can we expect anyone to be able to go to space one day? |

Related HCPA’s News

NDIS

The Next Qatar? Five Australian Human Rights Issues That Could…

NEW Data Shows Demand For National Disability Insurance Scheme Services NEW data...

March 13, 2024
NDIS

After A Year Of Interest Rate Hikes, What Might Be In Store For…

NEW Data Shows Demand For National Disability Insurance Scheme Services NEW data...

March 13, 2024
Specialist Disability Accommodation

Demand For Specialist Disability Accommodation Not Being Met

NEW Data Shows Demand For National Disability Insurance Scheme Services NEW data...

March 13, 2024
Read All Articles

Subscribe to HCPA’s Newsletter and stay updated

Get Exclusive Updates On HCPA’s Events, Services And Career Opportunities!

Subscription Form
A smiling person wearing a checkered shirt.Woman smiling over her shoulder with a blurred natural background.A man in a hat looking to the side with a forested mountain landscape in the background.Two women smiling outdoors.A young man smiling at the camera.

8500+ Businesses are growing faster