Former Paralympian John McFall could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit on the world’s first commercial space station.
Haven-1 is a planned space station in low-Earth orbit that is in development by US aerospace company Vast. If launched, it will be the first ever commercial space station and is currently scheduled for a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 early next year.
The UK Space Agency has signed a deal with Vast to find potential sponsorship opportunities for McFall to live aboard the station and conduct research into human physiology, prosthetics in microgravity and movement in space.
The findings could have benefits for disabled people on Earth, such as the design of lighter, more adaptable prosthetics, and an improvement to our understanding of conditions like osteoporosis or muscle wastage, which affects many disabled people.
McFall is an NHS surgeon who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19. Last year, he became the first person...