First wheelchair user reaches edge of space on Blue Origin flight

SAN ANTONIO – Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old German aerospace engineer, made history as the first wheelchair user to travel to the edge of space.

The Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket launched from West Texas on Saturday, marking a significant milestone.

Benthaus, who sustained a spinal cord injury in a 2018 mountain biking accident, experienced the thrill of weightlessness during the approximately 10-minute flight.

She used a special strap to keep her legs bound as she exited her seat. Prior to the flight, Benthaus expressed her long-held desire to go to space, saying, “I always wanted to go to space — but didn’t think it was something I could actually do.”