This scientist is working with NASA to send astronauts with physical disabilities into space

CATHY WURZER: If you want to become an astronaut for NASA, there are a few requirements-- we looked it up-- US citizenship, a master's degree in specified fields or the equivalent, and passing the NASA long duration astronaut physical. Now historically, any health issue, however minor, would disqualify you as a candidate.

This month, the University of North Dakota announced it's participating in a new study on the feasibility of sending astronauts with physical disabilities-- parastronauts-- into space. Dr. Pablo de Leon is the Director of the Human Spaceflight Laboratory at UND where he is also the chair and a professor in the Department of Space Studies. Professor de Leon, welcome to Minnesota Now.

PABLO DE LEON: Thank you, Cathy, very, very much. Thank you for having me.

CATHY WURZER: It's a pleasure. What prompted this study on the feasibility of sending parastronauts into space?

PABLO DE LEON: Well, it's interesting that you mentioned regarding that requirement of past astronauts that they had to be in top physical shape and fully able in order to qualify to become astronauts.

And just the past year, the European Space Agency-- which is the agency-- they say European NASA, we may say-- made a call to include in their European astronaut records at least one or two astronauts with specific physical disabilities.

And because Europe doesn't have a human space vehicle or capsule, they need to rely on NASA to send these astronauts into space. So because of this, NASA commissioned to our department these study first to see if this is possible, if this is something that can be done or the degree of modification and changes that will be required in a space capsule will make it impossible.

CATHY WURZER: OK. By the way, how many types of disabilities will you study?

PABLO DE LEON: Well, there will be basically three. One is the loss of limb. The other one is replacement of a limb through an artificial leg, for example, or artificial arm. The third one will be people with very small stature, less than 1.4 meters.

So clearly, these were people that were never included in spaceflight again. So because of this requirement of ESA, now we are thinking about these for the first time.

CATHY WURZER: I see. So you'll be looking at the ability of the parastronauts to work within the confines of a spacecraft, which I would assume would be fairly small.

PABLO DE LEON: Yes. And on top of that, we will be looking at the need to include additional elements inside the spacecraft-- like, for example, additional handles or ways for them to access, get in and out of the capsule safely. Because one of the issues is, OK, what happened if for example, you have to abandon the spacecraft in the launch pad because there is a problem with the launcher?

And you need to abandon the spacecraft safely-- the entire crew. Will that endanger the rest of the crew because you have a parastronaut that may take longer or will be more complex-- the way for them to get in and out? So these are some of the issues that we'll be looking at.

CATHY WURZER: Will you also test spacesuits--

PABLO DE LEON: Yes.

CATHY WURZER: --because they look quite complicated.

PABLO DE LEON: Yes, we do, and that's the other thing that we'll be doing-- just the ability of potential for astronauts to be able to remove their suit inside once they are inside the spacecraft without the help of the other crew members. So we'll also be looking at that.

We'll be looking at potential issues with an artificial limb rubbing against the inside of the spacesuit and potentially creating a breach in the spacesuit. So there are a number of things. And again, this is a very new study because we never even considered this possibility before, so we'll see how that goes.

CATHY WURZER: Does UND have a space suit lab that you could test all this in?

PABLO DE LEON: Yes, yes, yes. For more than the last 15 years, we had a human spaceflight laboratory where we develop and test spacesuits. Recently, we have been testing a commercial spacesuit for NASA built by one of the companies that won the competition to be the first spacesuit that is going to return to the moon as part of the Artemis program.

So yes, we develop. We have several NASA grants to develop and test spacesuits, and that's why we were specifically selected for the study.

CATHY WURZER: Boy, I'm betting these days with-- of course, government agencies aren't the only ones sending humans into space. All these other corporations like SpaceX and Blue Origin are setting folks up. This seems like a good time to be involved in human spaceflight.

PABLO DE LEON: Oh, I tell my students all the time. I said, you guys are so lucky because when I graduated, there was just a space shuttle around, and that was it. And nowadays, you have this variety of companies and projects and destinations and space vehicles, so you can do as much as you want and be involved in a variety of projects that is unparalleled in the history of spaceflight.

We never had these opportunities. So yes, we're getting a lot of interested students for masters and PhDs in space studies and a lot of interest. Our graduates go to work for SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin-- you name it.

So it's a great time to be involved in these disciplines, which is absolutely exciting. It has been my passion all my life, so I'm happy to see all these amazing projects happening right now.

CATHY WURZER: You just made me feel old by saying that you date back to the space shuttle. I remember the moon landing in 1969.

PABLO DE LEON: Me too. I mean, me too. I remember Neil Armstrong. And in fact, that was the sole reason why I'm here because I was inspired. I'm not from around here, as you can tell. I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I was inspired watching from an old black and white TV, seeing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon.

And since then, I wanted to work in space, and here I am. So I'm from that generation, too. But when I finished my graduation, it was the beginning of the space shuttle program. It was just that sole project. Nowadays, the horizon is so, so full of interesting projects to do.

CATHY WURZER: There are some listeners I'm sure, Professor, scratching their head thinking, wait a minute. You were talking about the University of North Dakota? I mean, what? Why would there be such a program at UND?

PABLO DE LEON: Well, we have for many years. We had a great aviation school. And in the early '90s, Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, came here to UND to start our space studies program, so ours is one of the few in the nation that offered the kind of degrees that we do, and yes, is in North Dakota of all places. But let me tell you. If you want to simulate Mars, this is the best possible weather you're going to get because Mars is pretty cold.

CATHY WURZER: That's true. I hadn't thought of it that way. By the way, getting back to the parastronaut studies, when is the timeline for the beginning and the end of it?

PABLO DE LEON: Well, we have just one year. So in one year, we have to determine if this is feasible and what kind of aids the astronauts need. In the beginning-- let me tell you-- I was very reluctant to do a study of this type because I'm from the generation that believed that astronauts have to be in top notch physical shape in order to do the rigorous missions that they have to do.

But this is a need for NASA. NASA needs to know that this is something safe to do, and they will be able to fulfill the needs of the European Space Agency as partners in the Artemis program, et cetera. We'll go ahead, and we'll learn more into the process.

CATHY WURZER: It'll be interesting to see who the first parastronauts will be.

PABLO DE LEON: Certainly, yes.

CATHY WURZER: I appreciate your time. Thank you so very much.

PABLO DE LEON: Oh, thank you, Cathy. It was a pleasure. Bye bye.

CATHY WURZER: Bye bye. Dr. Pablo de Leon is the Director of the Human Spaceflight Laboratory at UND where researchers are studying the feasibility of sending astronauts with physical disabilities into space. You can find out more by the way by going to aero.und.edu.