Wheelchair User Reaches Space: Blue Origin’s Inclusive Flight | Video screenshot image, video by replay: New Shepard Mission NS-37 Webcast/Blue Origin

West Texas marked a historic milestone in space exploration on December 20, 2025, as Blue Origin sent Michaela “Michi” Benthaus, a wheelchair user, past the Kármán line aboard its New Shepard rocket.

The 33-year-old German aerospace engineer, paralyzed after a 2018 mountain biking accident, became the first person with such mobility needs to experience spaceflight during the NS-37 mission, reported ABC News.

For Dallas residents, this achievement underscores the economic ripple effects from West Texas launches, supporting local supply chains and inspiring STEM education in North Texas schools amid a projected 100,000 new aerospace jobs over the next decade.

The autonomous New Shepard capsule lifted off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One near Van Horn, carrying Benthaus and five crewmates: former SpaceX executive Hans Koenigsmann, investor Joey Hyde, entrepreneur Neal Milch, mining executive Adonis Pouroulis, and computer scientist Jason Stansell, per CNN.

Blue Origin stated, per ABC News, “Michi’s flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream.”

The suborbital flight lasted about 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of over 65 miles, where the crew experienced several minutes of microgravity before parachuting back to the desert floor, The Guardian reported.

Benthaus, an engineer at the European Space Agency, required minimal accommodations, including a patient transfer board for seating and a post-landing carpet for wheelchair access.

Blue Origin engineer Jake Mills noted the capsule’s design already prioritized accessibility, making it more inclusive than traditional spacecraft. Koenigsmann, who sponsored Benthaus and served as her emergency helper, assisted in lifting her from the capsule after landing, per the Los Angeles Times.

“I am excited to show the world that also wheelchair users can go on a suborbital flight, and I’m really happy that Blue Origin is supporting this,” Benthaus said in an interview, reported ABC News.

The company has flown passengers with limited mobility before, including those with impaired sight, hearing, and two 90-year-olds.

Benthaus aims to inspire accessibility improvements on Earth and in space.