The European Space Agency recruited a paralympian from the UK.

The first person with a physical disability to be recruited by the space agency in a drive to overcome the obstacles that prevent disabled people from participating in space missions is John McFall.

Dr Rosemary Coogan, 31, who spent time in the Royal Navy reserve and gained a PhD in astronomy, is joining the agency's first new recruits since 2009.

Tim Peake, a member of the class of 2009, became the second person from the UK to join the agency's astronauts corps when he joined.

Dr Meganne Christian, who was born in the UK and studied in Italy, joined the astronauts reserve.

The reserve consists of astronauts who passed the selection process but will continue in their regular jobs until a chance arises.

The new intake was announced at the Grand Palais phémre in Paris, and the director general said they were all incredible people because of their intellectual capabilities and ability to make quick decisions.

A new era of human spaceflight will be ushered in by the class of 2022. They will focus on the construction of a new outpost that will circle the moon instead of the International Space Station.

The European Space Agency wants to land a human on the moon before the end of the decade. Humans haven't been on the moon in over 40 years.

The four-stage selection process involves a full medical to assess health and physical capabilities, as well as group exercises, practical tests, extensive psychological assessments and multiple interviews.

There were only 1,361 applicants who made it to the second stage of selection.

The psychological, cognitive, technical and professional requirements for the astronauts were all met by McFall.

If a candidate had a lower leg amputation, shortened limbs at birth, or was less than 130 cm tall, they would be considered.

He has a PhD in astronomy and two masters degrees from the University of Durham. She speaks a number of languages.

Christian obtained a PhD in industrial chemistry from the University of New South Wales and worked at the Concordia station in Antarctica for two years.

The first by any of the world's space agencies to identify and overcome hurdles that have previously prevented people with physical disabilities from joining space missions will be joined by a man who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.

People with physical disabilities are expected to be able to serve as professional crew members.

The agency cannot guarantee a flight for the disabled astronauts, but it can commit to trying as hard as possible.

A third of the people who responded to the advert were from France, followed by Germany and the UK. The European Astronaut Centre in Cologne is where the new recruits will be based and where they will be trained for at least three years. In order to prepare them to work well under pressure, in a confined space and with minimal privacy, equipment and comfort, the astronauts take part in a three week course in a network of caves.