Space diversity: Europe’s space agency gets 1st parastronaut
By THOMAS ADAMSON
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — The European Space Agency has made history by selecting an amputee who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident to be among its newest batch of astronauts — one step toward its pioneering ambition to send someone with a physical disability into space.John McFall, a 41-year-old Briton who lost his right leg when he was 19 and went on to compete in the Paralympics, called his selection at Europe’s answer to NASA “a real turning point and mark in history.” “This is the first time that a space agency has endeavored to embark on a project like this. And it sends a really, really strong message to humanity,” he said.
