Michaela (Michi) Benthaus, a German aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency, is set to become the first person using a wheelchair to travel to space.
Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury in a 2018 mountain biking accident but has continued her work in aerospace and advocacy for greater access to space.
“I might be the first—But not the last”: Benthaus
Benthaus announced the milestone on Instagram, writing, “I’M GOING TO SPACE! I’m beyond excited to share that I’ll be flying to space on a future flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.”
Benthaus said she thought her dream of going to space had ended. However, she has been working with a dedicated team to make it possible for a wheelchair user to take part in a suborbital flight—a milestone she describes as “an important step since space travel for people with disabilities is still in its very early days.”
Benthaus expressed hope that her journey will inspire broader accessibility in space travel, writing, “I might be the first—but have no intention of being the last.”
Upcoming Blue Origin launch details
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-37 is scheduled to launch on Thursday (December 18), from Launch Site One near Van Horn, West Texas. The launch window opens at 8:30 AM CST / 14:30 UTC.
A live webcast will be available on Blue Origin’s website and X (formerly Twitter) about 40 minutes before launch.
New Shepard Rocket overview
New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket developed by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin for short crewed trips to the edge of space. Each flight lasts approximately 11 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown, allowing passengers to experience microgravity and spectacular views of Earth. The rocket operates autonomously with no pilots aboard.
NS-37 crew members
The six passengers aboard NS-37 include:
Michaela Benthaus – Aerospace engineer, first wheelchair user in space, advocate for accessibility in space travel.
Joey Hyde – Physicist and hedge fund investor from Florida.
Hans Koenigsmann – German-American aerospace engineer and former SpaceX executive.
Neal Milch – Business executive and Chair of the Board at Jackson Laboratory.
Adonis Pouroulis – Entrepreneur and investor in natural resources and energy sectors.
Jason Stansell – Adventurer from West Texas and space enthusiast.
New Shepard launch sequence
During ascent, New Shepard reaches supersonic speeds exceeding 2,000 mph. The booster separates and returns for a vertical landing near the launchpad, while the capsule continues to the edge of space. Passengers experience microgravity before the capsule descends via three large parachutes for a soft desert landing.
Difference between New Shepard and New Glenn
New Shepard is a suborbital vehicle for short space trips, while New Glenn is Blue Origin’s towering 322-foot orbital rocket, aimed at long-term orbital missions and competing with SpaceX. New Glenn recently launched uncrewed to deploy NASA’s ESCAPADE satellites to Mars.
