Going the extra mile to the stars

At the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, John McFall returned to his roots – not as a competitor on the track, but to proudly carry the flag during the opening ceremony. 

At the Paris Paralympic Opening Ceremony, John carried the flag alongside French Paralympic champion Damien Seguin, marking a symbolic moment in his remarkable journey from the athletics track to the frontiers of space exploration. 

John’s journey has been extraordinary. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, he went on to become a British Paralympic sprinter. His athletic career eventually led him to medicine, where he qualified as a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon. In 2022, John took on a new challenge when he was selected as part of ESA’s astronaut reserve, joining the latest class of European astronauts. 

As a participant in ESA’s Fly! feasibility study, John is at the forefront of breaking new ground. The initiative is focused on exploring how astronauts with physical disabilities, like himself, can participate in long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS). His involvement in astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre and beyond has been crucial in assessing how an astronaut with a disability would navigate the demands of spaceflight.  

The Fly! study is tackling this challenge across five key areas: medical considerations, training protocols, crew support, spacecraft operations, and ISS procedures. To date, the study, expected to conclude in late 2024, has found no significant barriers that would prevent someone with John’s disability from embarking on a six-month mission to the Space Station, demonstrating that space could soon be accessible to all. 

Stay tuned for more updates about John and Fly! and listen to our ESA Explores podcast.