Former British Paralympic sprinter John McFall, the world's first trainee astronaut with a disability, has begun preparing in Germany to assess what changes may need to be made to send him to space.
Mr McFall, 42, a former NHS surgeon in Hampshire, was recruited in a European Space Agency drive to find people with physical disabilities to determine any adaptations required to accommodate them on space stations.
The resident of Frimley in Surrey, who competed for Britain at the Paralympic Games, lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident when he was 19.
He will spend the next two years working with experts to identify how traditional equipment and facilities in space could be adapted to allow for a wider range of people to qualify for human spaceflight.
“I’m a naturally curious person and I’m excited about the learning ahead, the science that will come out of it, and the fact that this is the first small step in a much bigger journey,” said the father of three.
“While the feasibility study is bespoke to my own disability, this programme delivers a powerful message, which I hope will both broaden people’s appreciation of what people with disabilities can do, as well as inspire people with a range of disabilities about the opportunities available to them.
“My three children are really stoked to be moving to Germany and about the fact that their dad could one day go into space. It’s helping to engage them, especially my two daughters, with Stem learning, which is hugely important to me.”
Mr McFall will undergo elements of astronaut training, such as sea survival and testing in hypobaric (low atmospheric pressure) environments as part of the Fly! Feasibility Study to help ESA to assess the effect that being an amputee and wearing a prosthesis will have on the requirements for living and working in space.
He was selected alongside career astronaut Rosemary Coogan and Meganne Christian, who were among the first astronauts to be unveiled by ESA since 2009.
Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith said Mr McFall had shown that “there is space for everyone in the industry”.
“The UK is reaching for the stars in the realm of space innovation, with three brilliant British candidates handpicked for the agency's prestigious astronaut cohort for the first time in over a decade – it is undeniable proof of our stellar global reputation in space leadership.”
UK Space Agency's chief executive, Paul Bate, said the agency will support Mr McFall’s journey as he takes on training and feasibility studies with ESA colleagues.
He added: “John’s selection as the first ever astronaut with a physical disability is a landmark moment for the global space sector. It will help us discover new and more inclusive ways of working, demonstrating first hand that space offers opportunities for everyone.”
European Space Agency class of 2022 astronauts - in pictures
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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