A milestone for the space industry: A German engineer became the first wheelchair user to be sent into space, according to a BBC report. Michaela Benthaus, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident seven years ago, reached out online to a retired space engineer to see if her dream of becoming an astronaut was still possible. He then helped organize the historic flight, which lasted 10 minutes with Blue Origin, the space tourism company founded by Jeff Bezos.
Benthaus and five other people launched from Texas and reached a point just above what is called the "edge" of space, known as the Kármán line. "It was the coolest experience ever," she said after landing in a video shared by Blue Origin. "I loved the view and the microgravity, but I also loved the flight upwards. It was so cool, every stage of the ascent."
New Shepard, Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital launch vehicle, took off from the company’s launch site in Texas under the name "Mission NS-37." Benthaus, who works at the European Space Agency, said she “truly realized how inaccessible our world still is” for people with disabilities after her accident. She made her way herself from her wheelchair into the capsule, using a bench that extended from the hatch.
Hans Königsman, a retired SpaceX manager who helped organize the trip, joined her on the flight to provide assistance if needed. "I met Hans for the first time online," Benthaus said. "I just asked him, you know, you worked so long for SpaceX, do you think people like me can become astronauts?"
Königsman said Benthaus inspired him to make it happen. "It was her drive that convinced me I needed to do it too, and just experience something I had seen from the outside for so long," he said.
Blue Origin said that additional ground support equipment was used to help Ms. Benthaus enter and exit the capsule. "Michaela's flight is particularly significant and demonstrates that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream," said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President of New Shepard. The cost of the mission, which was Blue Origin’s 16th suborbital space tourism launch, was not disclosed.