The agency also said the “time has come” to put disabled people into space as part of an initiative called the Parastronaut Feasibility Project. According to ESA, it’s the first time that a space agency anywhere has opened the application process up to people with disabilities.
“Representing all parts of our society is a concern that we take very seriously,” David Parker, the agency’s director of human and robotic exploration, said. “Diversity at ESA should not only address the origin, age, background or gender of our astronauts, but also perhaps physical disabilities.”
The agency said that, based on categories set by the International Paralympic Committee, it will initially consider applications from individuals with lower limb deficiency below the knee or ankle, extreme differences in leg length, or below 130 centimetres (4 feet 3 inches) in height.
British astronaut Tim Peake welcomed the initiative, saying it “will hopefully change the landscape” so people from diverse backgrounds “will see that actually there is an opportunity here to become part of Europe’s new space pioneers.”
The application process, agency officials say, will take some 18 months before a handful of astronauts are selected.
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ESA astronaut selection: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Astronaut_Selection
The Associated Press
