US EditionWheelchair User Reaches Space for First Time on Blue Origin Flight
Michaela Benthaus became the first wheelchair user to experience suborbital spaceflight with Blue Origin, joining a crew of six on a 10-minute journey above the Kármán Line.
- On Dec. 20, 2025, Blue Origin flew its final New Shepard NS-37 mission carrying six people, including Michaela Benthaus, the first wheelchair user to travel to space.
- Hans Koenigsmann, former SpaceX manager and designated emergency helper, arranged and helped sponsor Michaela Benthaus' trip after about a year of planning, while Blue Origin modified ground equipment but made no vehicle changes.
- At peak altitude the New Shepard capsule reached about 106 kilometers, passengers aboard NS-37 experienced brief weightlessness, and Michaela Benthaus unstrapped to float during the coast phase.
- Following landing, recovery teams quickly reached the capsule, laid a carpet, helped Michaela Benthaus back into her wheelchair, and she expressed gratitude to Blue Origin and Hans Koenigsmann.
- Benthaus said she hopes the mission opens opportunities for people with disabilities and that her goal includes improving accessibility on Earth, while Blue Origin plans increased New Shepard flight rates in 2026 and beyond.
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German engineer Michaela Benthaus has made history by becoming the first wheelchair user to travel into space, after participating in a suborbital flight of the American company Blue Origin, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. The New Shepard mission took off this Friday at 8:15 local time (14:15 GMT) from the company's Texas facility and lasted approximately ten minutes.Keep reading...
German Engineer Becomes First Wheelchair User To Reach Space On Blue Origin Flight
Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old paraplegic engineer from Germany, made history Saturday as the first wheelchair user to experience space travel during a Blue Origin rocket flight from West Texas. Benthaus, who was severely injured in a mountain bike accident seven years ago, joined five other passengers on the 10-minute journey that reached more than 65 miles above Earth. "It was the coolest experience," Benthaus said after landing, adding she …
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