A Surgeon Who Lost One Leg Becomes an Astronaut Candidate

Paralympic Former British Athletics Representative John McFall... Selected as World's First
Scheduled to Join Artemis Lunar Exploration Program After 2 Years of Training

John McFall, the world's first candidate for an astronaut with a disability, is speaking at the European Space Agency (ESA) new astronaut unveiling ceremony held on the 23rd (local time) at the Grand Palais ?ph?m?re in Paris, France. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] The world’s first astronaut candidate with a physical disability has emerged. The European Space Agency (ESA), which recruited new astronauts for the first time in 13 years, announced on the 23rd (local time) that it had selected John McFall (41), a Paralympic athletics bronze medalist, as a member of the 'Disabled Astronaut Feasibility Review Project.'

This is the first time a person with a disability has been selected as an astronaut candidate to carry out space missions. John McFall lost one leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19. He earned a bachelor's degree from Swansea University in the UK in 2004. After receiving a master's degree from Cardiff University in Wales in 2005, he made a name for himself as a disabled athlete by winning medals at various international competitions, including the 2007 Paralympic World Cup. At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he competed as a member of the British athletics team and won a bronze medal. After graduating from Cardiff Medical School in 2014, he currently works as a trauma and orthopedic specialist in southern England. McFall said, "I never thought I could become an astronaut, so my expectations are even higher," adding, "Even with physical disabilities, I believe I can do meaningful work in space." He also added, "Science is for everyone, and I hope space travel will be for everyone as well."

McFall was selected as the final candidate, beating out a total of 257 competitors. ESA posted a notice last February announcing the selection of astronauts with disabilities. In the announcement, ESA stated, "Since the astronaut selection in 2008, societal expectations for diversity, inclusion, and fairness have increased, and the space sector is no exception," adding, "As ESA is operated with the support of member countries, we decided to select astronauts with disabilities to uphold these values."

Starting in April next year, McFall will undergo two years of training to become an astronaut. Afterwards, he will be deployed on a mission to build a space station orbiting the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis project. The Artemis project is an international initiative that aims to use the moon as a forward base to ultimately explore Mars and deep space.

ESA also released the list of five final astronaut candidates selected from over 22,500 applicants. The selected candidates are Sophie Adno (40, France), Pablo Alvarez Fernandez (34, Spain), Rosemary Cogan (31, UK), Rapha?l Liegeois (34, male, Belgium), and Marco Allen Giver (33, Switzerland). Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said, "All of them are trustworthy individuals capable of making quick and wise decisions under considerable pressure."