Evicted

[Adam Reynolds]

Regrettably, NASA has been very reluctant to allow anyone other than exceptionally fit people into space even though at some point we (supposedly) will be sending ordinary folks aloft. I think it unlikely they're ready to accept disabled applicants. There are so many qualified able-bodied applicants that they have no need to do otherwise.

It's mostly out of a concern about ensuring a return to normal activity after the astronauts return to Earth due to the loss in muscle mass that is guaranteed, unless said astronauts spend most of their time exercising to deal with problem which defeats the point of sending them into space in the first place.

Long term, in terms of potential future technology, artificial gravity would take care of this problem. This would be all but required for any long term mission to something like Mars.

[Broomstick]

There's different forms of disability, and likely some would be less affected by the muscle atrophy of micro-gravity than others. There's also the matter of how long a mission might last (a few days being very different than a few months). The steadfast refusal to even consider someone less than supremely fit is a slap in the face to the ordinary person. It is, in fact, one of the criticisms of NASA that they've done quite a bit to keep access to space open only to a tiny elite - that's why the Russians were the first to send up a woman, and the first to profit from space tourism.

If we're ever to get off this particular rock in space we're going to have allow more than just supermen (and women) aloft.

[Eternal_Freedom]

My disability (severely visually impaired) wouldn't be a physical problem to being aboard ship for long periods, but not being able to see what I'm doing all the time wouldn't help.

[General Zod]

There's always the possibility that micro gravity could make your disability worse.