When I heard about scientists wanting to know whether vegetables could survive in space, I wasn't expecting this.

All jokes aside, this is a wonderful development!

I mean, the joke can not have to be put aside and can just have never existed?

Does this mean I have a shot now? I'm not disabled just out of shape but i can run faster than at least half of the paraplegics i promise! /s well mostly i am out of shape

Why the need to qualify him as a “parastronaut”. Astronaut works just fine.

Has working and living in space reached the point where we can afford to provide accessibility? That's a pretty remarkable milestone tbh

Heinlein suggested that the elderly and disabled would benefit greatly from living in low gravity. Imagine not needing a wheelchair any more to get around, or an arthritic person not having the stress on their joints.

Low gravity living could conceivably enhance longevity, assuming we can solve other problems.

Sounds like you already know what your New Year’s resolution is.

Space is a death trap. In the current stage of space exploration we should send the most capable of us. This is not the right time to promote the woke shit.

I'm assuming it doesn't matter too much if your legs don't work in zero g, that said I didn't read the article and this guys disability may be that he has a short attention span for all I know.

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Yeah, yeah I quit a job where I was in the water for 2 to 6 hours a day.... lotta swimming i don't anymore but i kept eating at the same rate

I guess it makes since there is 0 gravity.

Wait till you hear about the "visually-impaired-ronaut".

The article is only a few sentences, but it makes it clear that this guy has only been selected for training as part of a study on the feasibility of physically disabled (although he is a Paralympian) people entering the space program. In other words; "THIS IS ONLY A TEST."

A long while ago, I was discussing this very thing with others on reddit. We came to the conclusion that although there was absolutely no perceived limitations for the (say) leg-less astronaut within the spacecraft, it was the possible scenario of escaping a crashed craft in gravity (and the need to be able to help others to do so) that was a large potential drawback compared to a fully-limbed individual.

Also there was the extremely problematic (although a little bit funny in a black humor/ironic way) issue of spacewalking. This was agreed as a much smaller issue, since not all people who go to space need to be able to perform a spacewalk for a given mission.

Bachelor in Exercise science and Sports, Surgeon, and athlete. He had [a wikipedia page before being named astronaut.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McFall_(athlete%29#Medals)

You can read about it in his ESA page, surgeon and Trauma and Orthopaedic Specialist

At the same time I think that he is the only one in the non-reserve group that doesn't speak French, so there is that. Were the French weird about it again?

Also the article has his age wrong. He is 41 not 31.

Can you run 100m in less than 13 seconds? He was able.

Depending on the disability, there may be little to no impact.

For example, missing a leg hardly matters without gravity. Missing a hand would be a pretty big deal though, as that is your primary way of getting around.

No. Space is a deadly dangerous region. It's a domain for the best of us. No compromises.

Being someone who wanted to be an astronaut as a kid but couldn’t because I’m blind in one eye, this makes me very happy to see

Uh I would it say it depends on some factors like if there is a tiger chasing me. Honestly it was a joke I in no way begrudge the guy his job. I am sure there is a lot of training he has that I do not just as I am sure that he was tested and found to measure up. Aside from that in space your near weightless. Even further aside from that if we as a race make it as a space faring people we will need to have experience dealing with the challenges he will face. Long voyages may result in people injured and knowing how to help the people who may become paraplegic on a long voyage will be priceless. Also unless I'm mistaken isn't the 100 meter dash record something like 10 seconds? Anyway I'm rambling sorry if I ruffled any feathers it was sarcasm. Also if the joke is that half of the paraplegic would outrun me what on earth makes you think I'd stand a chance against Olympic level athletes?

Maybe we could concentrate on the basics first- like access into restaurants ?