Ground Control to John McFall

Former Paralympian John McFall (pictured above) could become first person with a physical disability to live in orbit thanks to an agreement signed between the UK Government and US commercial space company Vast.

The agreement enables Vast, supported by the UK Space Agency, to explore sponsorship opportunities for John’s mission to the world’s first commercial space station, Vast’s Haven-1, as early as 2027.

John, an NHS surgeon who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, was selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2022 for its groundbreaking Fly! Project, which is pioneering the inclusion of astronauts with physical disabilities in long-duration space missions. 

Last year he became the first person with a physical disability to be medically cleared for a long-duration mission.

If he gets into orbit John will conduct pioneering research, spanning human physiology and musculoskeletal adaptation, how prosthetics perform in microgravity, and how people move and balance in space.  

The findings could have significant benefits for disabled people here on Earth, such as the design of lighter, more adaptable prosthetics. They could also deepen our understanding of conditions like osteoporosis or muscle wastage that affect many disabled people and provide new insights into rehabilitation techniques for amputees. 

The potential mission also builds on ESA’s broader efforts to expand access to human spaceflight and to support Europe’s role in the transition to a commercially enabled low Earth orbit. 

“Signing this agreement with Vast is incredibly exciting,” said John, a member of the European Space Agency’s Astronaut Reserve.

“If we can make this mission happen, it won’t just be a milestone for human spaceflight, it will send a powerful message about what people with disabilities are capable of, and that there should be no limit to what you can achieve - on Earth or in space.” 

As a member of the ESA Astronaut Reserve, John has been taking part in training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany since 2023, as part of ESA’s astronaut training and research programme to support future human spaceflight missions, including practising microgravity tasks during zero-gravity parabolic flights, surviving remote environments, and learning to fly a light aircraft. 

For companies interested in supporting John McFall's mission, contact: fly@vastspace.com.