ESA portrait of John McFall

John McFall, a former Paralympic athlete and orthopaedic surgeon, made history in 2022 when the European Space Agency (ESA) selected him as the first member of its Astronaut Reserve with a physical disability. This marked a significant milestone in ESA’s Fly! initiative, which aims to enable a professional astronaut with a physical disability to join as a fully integrated crewmember on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 

With John’s selection, ESA entered the Feasibility Study phase of the Fly! initiative, collaborating with international partners and relevant industries to address challenges associated with John’s specific type of disability (lower limb amputation). 

As the expert of Fly!, John's expertise and feedback have been invaluable in helping the Fly! team to thoroughly examine and develop solutions for the unique challenges faced by individuals with physical disabilities in the context of space exploration.