John McFall, a member of the European astronaut reserve from the ESA astronaut class of 2022, brings a diverse background to his role. With experience as an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon and a former Paralympic sprinter, John is participating in the groundbreaking “Fly!” feasibility study. This initiative seeks to enhance our comprehension of the challenges posed by space flight for astronauts with physical disabilities, aiming to overcome these barriers. Tune in to discover more about John and the “Fly!” project.
This is Episode 9 of our ESA Explores podcast series, delving into everything you want to know about the ESA astronaut class of 2022. Recorded in November 2023.
Find out more about John: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/John_McFall
About the ESA astronaut class of 2022: https://blogs.esa.int/exploration/category/astronauts2022/esa-astronaut-candidates/
Glossary: AsCan – astronaut candidate, CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation, EAC – European Astronaut Centre, EVA – Extravehicular Activity, LEO – low Earth orbit
Hosted by Laura Zurmühlen, with audio editing and music by Denzel Lorge, and cover art by Gaël Nadaud.
Tune in to ESA Explores episodes via all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Amazon Music, Deezer and more.
ESA Explores cover art by Gaël Nadaud.
About the ESA Explores: ESA astronaut class of 2022 series
In this series of our ESA Explores podcast we’ll take you behind the scenes to meet with our new astronauts, as they are gearing up for upcoming missions to the International Space Station and beyond. Back in November 2022, the European Space Agency selected 17 members from 22,500 applicants across its 22 member states for a new astronaut class. Five of them commenced basic astronaut training with ESA in April 2023, while another 11 members form a reserve pool, ready to be selected for future missions. In this podcast, we’ll introduce you to their stories and experiences from basic astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany and worldwide, into the exciting world of space exploration. Tune in to gain insights into the first steps of astronaut training as we hear from our future astronauts, space explorers, and guiding experts, following Europe’s path to space exploration.