British Paralympian becomes European Space Agency's first disabled astronaut

A Briton volition beryllium the European Space Agency's archetypal disabled astronaut.

John McFall, from Frimley successful Surrey, was selected by the ESA to articulation its grooming programme and could beryllium the archetypal disabled idiosyncratic to spell into space.

The 41-year-old mislaid his close limb successful a motorcycle mishap erstwhile helium was 19 and went connected to vie for Great Britain astatine the Paralympic Games.

No large Western abstraction bureau has ever enactment a "para-astronaut" into space, according to the ESA.

Mr McFall was 1 of implicit 22,500 candidates who applied, a database which included much women than ever and immoderate 200 radical with disabilities.

He volition beryllium 1 of 4 to six radical announced arsenic Europe's adjacent astronauts astatine a Paris property conference, successful summation to a reserve squad of astir 20.

The finalist candidates person undergone intensive screening implicit the past year.