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The world’s first “paraastronaut” has made its first zero-gravity flight – possibly in preparation for orbit.
John McFall, 41, a British father of three, surgeon-in-training and Paralympic medalist, was accepted into the European Space Agency’s newest cohort of astronauts.
In a new video filmed by the BBChe experienced weightlessness for the first time in a specially adapted aircraft, known as a ‘parabolic flight’.
McFall, originally from Frimley in Surrey, had his right leg amputated following a motorcycle accident in Thailand in 2000.
He was fitted with a prosthetic and is now working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate how such a disability might affect a stint in space.
The world’s first “parastronaut” has made its first gravity flight – possibly in preparation for orbit
John McFall, 41, a British father of three, surgeon-in-training and Paralympic medalist, was included in the European Space Agency’s newest cohort of astronauts
While McFall isn’t guaranteed to get into orbit, he’s part of a project to see what the requirements are to make that happen.
McFall has now taken part in what is known as a parabolic flight or “puke comet,” described by NASA as a “gateway to weightlessness.”
Parabolic flight reproduces gravity-free conditions in an aircraft by alternating upward and downward arcs, interspersed with level flight.
The BBC’s Rebecca Morelle, along with McFall, also got a taste of weightlessness.
She said, “The feeling of being weightless, no longer pinned down by gravity, is extraordinary.
“You feel totally out of control—because you are.”
McFall told the BBC he noticed differences with his leg in low gravity compared to down on Earth.
His prosthetic leg may be too high-tech for a low-gravity environment, so if he were to actually go into space, it would probably need modification.
“I’m floating around with my leg straight because that gravity isn’t there, so it’s harder for me to turn quickly because my leg doesn’t want to bend,” he said.
“I’m just getting used to that and working out how to put myself in zero G, but every parabola is a learning opportunity.”
McFall has now taken part in what is known as a parabolic flight or “vomit comet,” described by NASA as a “gateway to weightlessness.”
Mr McFall ended his incredible sporting career on a high when he took home the bronze medal in the 100m at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
McFall lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident when he was 19, but learned to run again and eventually became a professional sprinter.
Among other things, he won a bronze medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing before retiring to begin his medical studies at Cardiff University.
Last year, he was selected to participate in ESA’s Parastronaut Feasibility Project, which is exploring potential challenges of taking a physically disabled person into space.
He put his medical career on hold to join ESA and follow his ‘passion for science and life’.
Then he said, “When the ad came out for an astronaut with a physical disability, I read the person specification and what it entailed and I thought, wow, this is such an exciting opportunity.
‘I thought I would be a very good candidate to help ESA answer the question they asked; can we get someone with a physical disability into space?’
McFall is just one of 17 male and female astronauts to make up the new cohort, which also includes Northern Irishman Rosemary Coogan and Meganne Christian, originally from Kent.
The European Space Agency unveiled its new class of astronauts last November, including John McFall
The successful candidates were chosen from no less than 22,523 candidates, including three Britons who hope to follow in the footsteps of current British astronaut Tim Peake.
Peake – who announced his retirement in January – was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and spent six months on the International Space Station from December 2015.
When he flew to the ISS, Peake became the first official British astronaut, although he was not the first Briton in space.
It was in 1991 when Sheffield-born chemist Helen Sharman became not only the first British woman in space, but also the first British person in space.
Select members of this new ESA cohort will initially fly to the ISS, but may eventually travel to the Moon, or beyond.
ESA has secured three astronaut journeys to the Lunar Gateway to be built in orbit around the Moon, and hopes to send Europeans to the surface of our natural satellite in the future.