Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
The next footprint on the moon could belong to a parastronaut, as space agencies work to shatter outdated limits on who gets to explore beyond Earth.
Credit: ESA
Imagine a prosthetic leg pressing into lunar dust—ESA's groundbreaking work hints that the next astronaut on the moon may wear high-tech limbs designed for zero gravity.
From leg amputees to people with mobility challenges, new research shows astronauts with disabilities can navigate spacecraft just as nimbly as anyone else—redefining "fit for space."
John McFall, ESA's first parastronaut, is reshaping space travel. His journey could open lunar missions to those once told "you can't," proving ability is more than physical form.
NASA and ESA are testing handholds, Velcro anchors, and advanced prosthetics to ensure no one is left out of humanity’s next giant leap—a moon landing for everyone.
Credit: NASA
Designing spacecraft for astronauts with disabilities doesn't just help them—future missions to Mars may depend on these innovations when accidents make anyone a parastronaut.
As researchers test mobility aids in Orion and Starliner capsules, one truth becomes clear: making space accessible could also save lives when disaster strikes far from Earth.
Future astronauts may carry their own functional aids—custom prosthetics for weightlessness, Velcro anchors to walls—remaking the idea of "normal" for spacefarers.
Representative pic
Planning for disabled astronauts today means preparing for astronauts injured on future Mars missions—where "disability" might be one accident away for anyone.
Representative pic