Wheelchair User Makes Historic Spaceflight

German aerospace engineer Michaela Benthaus has made history as the first wheelchair user to travel to space, completing a landmark suborbital mission aboard Blue Origin on Saturday.

The 33-year-old engineer, who works at the European Space Agency, flew on the US space tourism company’s 16th crewed mission, marking a significant milestone for accessibility in human spaceflight. The flight was operated by Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, and lifted off from West Texas at 8:15 a.m. local time, lasting approximately 11 minutes.

The New Shepard NS-37 capsule reached an altitude of about 100 kilometers, crossing the internationally recognized boundary of space. During the journey, passengers experienced several moments of weightlessness before returning safely to Earth.

Benthaus was joined on the flight by former space engineer Hans Königsmann and four American entrepreneurs. Blue Origin has previously flown a range of high-profile passengers, including pop star Katy Perry and Star Trek actor William Shatner, as it seeks to expand its role in the commercial space tourism market and compete with rivals such as SpaceX.

Speaking after the mission, Benthaus described the experience as extraordinary, calling it the most remarkable moment of her life. She said the journey was proof that perseverance can overcome even the most unlikely odds.

Benthaus has used a wheelchair since sustaining a spinal injury in a mountain biking accident at the age of 26. She used the occasion to highlight the ongoing lack of accessibility for people with disabilities, urging greater efforts to create inclusive infrastructure worldwide.

Her flight is being widely hailed as a breakthrough moment, not only for commercial space travel but also for representation and inclusion in the rapidly evolving space sector.