Briton John McFall was recruited by the ESA to become the first paraastronaut. The prosthesis he wears could, however, prove harmful if he leaves with it on a mission into space.
There is a disabled astronaut in the ranks of the ESA. In November 2022, the European Space Agency chose its first paraastronaut, John McFall. This Briton, Paralympic athlete and medical doctor, has lived with a prosthesis since a motorcycle accident which led to the amputation of his right leg. Despite his selection after a very demanding competition (as much as that of the other selected astronauts, such as Sophie Adenot), John McFall is no longer so certain of one day flying in space. His prosthesis could prevent him from doing so.
This is what the astronaut himself told the Telegraph on November 24, 2023. The materials making up his prosthesis could produce toxic gases, which would be very dangerous for all the astronauts on a mission with him in space. His colleagues could be poisoned by breathing these gases released into the station’s air.
The prosthesis could produce toxic gases breathed by astronauts
“ These are things we don’t necessarily think aboutexplained John McFall to the British media. The base [de la prothèse] is made of carbon fiber and there is some kind of high density foam inside. The carbon fiber base is impregnated with a resin. The foam is made of polymers. In an environment like that of the ISS, where air is constantly recycled, any significant amount of gas produced by a material will be amplified over time because it is not filtered. » However, the toxic atmosphere is one of the worst dangers facing astronauts in space, so all precautions are taken to avoid this situation.
For the moment, the ESA is busy carrying out tests on John McFall’s prosthesis to determine whether it complies with NASA requirements. We still don’t know if this prosthesis will actually prevent the Briton from flying into space one day.
Why doesn’t John McFall go into space without his prosthesis?
Since the prosthesis represents a possible risk for the ISS and its occupants, could we not envisage John McFall going to the station, but without wearing it? After all, he won’t need to walk and will be able to move around by floating in weightlessness? It is not so simple. In fact, tests show that the astronaut’s prosthetic would be crucial in space, according to the Telegraph article. John McFall would need it, to keep his balance, stay in good physical condition and quickly evacuate the station if necessary.
In order to determine whether John McFall will be able to fly, and whether he will have to do so with or without a prosthesis, the paraastronaut undergoes numerous experiments. He is thus installed on tables that tilt, his head lower than his feet, to recreate the effects of microgravity in his body. In any case, there are still a few years before knowing whether John McFall will be assigned to a mission: it will be set in 2025, when the ESA will present a file to European ministers so that they can decide whether or not to finance a mission.
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