Making space travel possible for disabled people
UK Space Agency project workshop hosted at aviation disability charity Aerobility at Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire
More than 50 disabled people and their carers from around the world joined the workshop in person and online
Priority list of requirements created to enable disabled people to access space in the future
International space agencies are being urged to continue developing a series of requirements that would enable disabled people to travel in space alongside able-bodied astronauts.
That was some of the feedback from an international audience of disabled people at a Parastronaut Workshop at disability aviation charity Aerobility.
Delegates from across the UK and throughout the world, including from the United States and Australia, took part in the workshop, which is part of the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency’s project exploring the practicalities of astronauts with physical disabilities, that was hosted at Aerobility’s headquarters at Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire.
Dr Irene Di Giulio, Lecturer in Anatomy and Biomechanics at King's College London, spoke to participants about the barriers to human space flight before the delegates worked in small groups to discuss what needed to be overcome for people like them to become astronauts in the future.
More than 50 people took part in the workshop and after discussions produced some feedback for the project on the sorts of considerations that need to be made to enable disabled space travel.
They included provision of modular space suits, consideration for the effect of zero gravity on paralysed limbs and medical equipment, an appropriate diet, customised seats on spacecraft and possible differing effectiveness of medication. Requirements before spaceflight, during spaceflight and after spaceflight were discussed.
Dr Di Giulio said: “We feel that what has been missing in the conversation about access to space travel is the experience of people with a disability. We are gathering information about what needs to happen so that we can then take that to the scientific community and start thinking of solutions.
“Aerobility came forward – helping to connect the space medical and science community to interact with the disabled community and we are delighted with the number of people that have come forward to take part and grateful to them for giving up their time for this.”
Aerobility CEO Mike Miller-Smith said: “We have been part of the topical team working with King’s College London for some time, as well as working with the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency and academics from around the world.
“I am especially pleased that we are able to connect the disability community with the academic community to ensure that some of the really important questions are asked and answered in order to enable the disability community to travel into space like everyone else.”