From Wheelchair to Space: How Michaela Benthaus Made History

Michaela Benthaus has made history as the first wheelchair user to travel to space, marking a major milestone in human spaceflight and accessibility.

The 33-year-old German aerospace and mechatronics engineer flew aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard mission, crossing the Kármán Line — the internationally recognized boundary of space, 100 kilometers above Earth.

Benthaus had dreamed of going to space since childhood, but after sustaining a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident in 2018, she believed that dream was no longer realistic.

Instead, she redirected her focus toward engineering and research, building a career at the European Space Agency while adapting to life as a wheelchair user. Her journey back toward space was driven by persistence, scientific expertise, and a determination to challenge assumptions about who spaceflight is for.

The suborbital flight lasted about 10 minutes and provided several minutes of microgravity. Benthaus used specially designed adaptive equipment to safely move within the capsule and experience weightlessness.

She has said the mission was not only a personal achievement, but also an opportunity to learn how future spaceflights can better accommodate people with physical disabilities.