John McFall in winter survival training

ESA member of the reserve and expert for Fly! John McFall sets up a shelter during winter survival training in the Spanish Pyrenees.

The European Space Agency is exploring whether it would be possible for an astronaut with a physical disability to embark on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with the ‘Fly!’ Feasibility study.  

At the heart of Fly! is John McFall, a former Paralympic athlete and orthopaedic surgeon from the UK who became a leg amputee at age 19 following a motorcycle accident. John was selected to join ESA’s astronaut reserve and became a key figure in Fly! His unique perspective and expertise are invaluable as a subject matter expert in the study.  

Since June 2023, John has been involved in familiarisation classes and activities linked to astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) and beyond. His involvement has been instrumental in understanding how an astronaut with a physical disability like John would respond to some of the key challenges posed by astronaut training and spaceflight.