Trainee Astronaut Won't Let a Medical Setback Hold Him Back | BBC Earth Science

Last to take the test is James. >> See? >> Okay. >> He's particularly concerned about his performance. >> I've only got one vestibial nerve.

I've missing the right one completely, which is why I've got this lovely piece of ear jewelry. Now I've got only one input saying which way I am in terms of my verticality. Oh, can it land on top?

Should I move the aerial over? >> In 2002, my wife thought I was ignoring it a bit more than usual. Um, and said maybe, you know, I've got a problem with my hearing.

>> This one was for the moon buggy to see if anything was wrong. >> I had to scan and unfortunately it turned out I had an acoustic nuroma, which is a benign tumor growing inside my skull.

>> Oh no. >> That was then removed in 2004. I lost my my balance. I have no control of balance on my right hand side.

It was quite frightening. But I'm very much a sort of well this is the problem. This is the solution. We'll deal with it and we'll we'll move forward.

>> That goes here. >> Yep. >> We got space shuttle. >> Yeah. Zoom.

>> Keep your eyes completely open during the test. Put your head back. Okay. And start spinning. It's going to be interesting to see how James copes

with this. There's damage to the nerve there that transmits signals from the inner ear onwards to the brain. And so his sense of balance will probably also be affected.

So he may have a problem with this test. >> If he can't cope with the physical stresses of space, James' chances of selection will disappear. >> Now tilt the head to the left. My sole purpose is to get to the end of

today and still be in this process. Three, two, stop. Starting now and stop. Go. Stop.

Go. Stop. Even though he has only one vestibular nerve, James 2 beats his score. >> See you later.

>> I don't feel my hearing loss has held me back in this process. So, I'm chuffed to bits to be honest with you that it hasn't. I feel like I'm on a level playing field with

the rest of the um candidates. >> He's operating with one nerve functioning correctly. I haven't seen a difference in comparison to other candidates. Every time we think there's going to be a factor of him, it's not a factor.

You know, at every point where you think his hearing impairment or this poor vestibular sense in one ear is going to hurt him, it doesn't seem to hurt him.