A groundbreaking agreement between the UK Space Agency and US commercial space firm Vast could launch astronaut John McFall into orbit as early as 2027. If successful, McFall would make history as the first person with a physical disability to live and work in space.
McFall, a former Paralympic sprinter who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident at age 19, was selected as an astronaut candidate by the European Space Agency in 2022. The mission would test how prosthetic limbs perform in microgravity and how the body's physiological systems adapt without a full limb.
The UK Space Agency announced the partnership with Vast, a company developing commercial space stations. No specific launch date or mission duration has been disclosed, though officials said planning is underway to address the unique challenges McFall will face.
Researchers will focus on balance, movement, and the impact of altered fluid distribution in the body—factors that could affect McFall differently than able-bodied astronauts. The mission aims to prove that spaceflight is accessible to a broader range of individuals.
Some experts caution that the physiological unknowns remain significant. Without prior human data on amputees in microgravity, every system—from circulation to bone density—must be monitored closely.