A German engineer has made history as the world’s first wheelchair user to travel to space, after joining a brief suborbital flight operated by Blue Origin, according to BBC News.
Michaela Benthaus, who sustained a spinal cord injury in a mountain bike accident seven years ago, reached space on Saturday aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, which launched from Texas and crossed the Kármán line, widely regarded as the boundary of space. The flight lasted around 10 minutes.
“It was the coolest experience!” Benthaus said after landing in a video released by the company.
“I didn't only like the view and the micro-gravity, but I also liked going up. That was so cool, every stage of going up.”
Benthaus, who works at the European Space Agency, said her journey began when she contacted a retired space engineer online to ask whether becoming an astronaut was still possible for someone with her disability.
That engineer, Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX executive, later helped organize the historic flight and was seated near Benthaus during the mission in case assistance was needed.
“I met Hans the first time online,” Benthaus said. “I just asked him, like, you know, you worked for so long for SpaceX, do you think that people like me can be astronauts?”
Koenigsmann said Benthaus inspired him to take part in the mission.
“It's her drive that kind of convinced me I should do that, too, and to just experience something that I've seen from the outside for a long time,” he said.
Benthaus said her injury made her acutely aware of how inaccessible many environments still are for people with disabilities. For the flight, she transferred independently from her wheelchair into the capsule using a bench extending from the hatch. Blue Origin said additional ground support equipment was installed to assist her entry and exit.
“Michi's flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating 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, Blue Origin’s 16th suborbital space tourism launch, was not disclosed. The company has already flown dozens of tourists, including high-profile passengers such as Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez, and Gayle King earlier this year.