A remarkable milestone has been achieved as a paraplegic engineer from Germany became the first-ever wheelchair user to experience the thrill of space travel. On a Saturday that marked the realization of a lifelong dream, Michaela Benthaus and five fellow passengers embarked on a spectacular journey into the cosmos, leaving her wheelchair far behind as she floated above the Earth.
Seven years after suffering severe injuries in a mountain biking accident, Benthaus made history by launching into space aboard a vehicle provided by Jeff Bezos’ company, Blue Origin. Alongside her was Hans Koenigsmann, a retired executive from SpaceX who also hails from Germany. He played a pivotal role in organizing this venture and contributed to its sponsorship, although the exact cost of their tickets remains undisclosed.
Benthaus couldn't contain her excitement during the flight, sharing that she laughed throughout the ascent and even attempted to flip upside down while in the weightlessness of space. "It was the coolest experience," she exclaimed shortly after returning to solid ground.
This ten-minute journey, which skimmed the edge of space, required only minor modifications to accommodate Benthaus's needs. Blue Origin designed the autonomous New Shepard capsule with accessibility in mind, ensuring that it could host a diverse range of passengers, including those with mobility challenges. Jake Mills, an engineer from Blue Origin who trained the crew and assisted on launch day, emphasized that this mission aimed to make space travel more accessible than traditional options.
Blue Origin has previously welcomed tourists with varying disabilities, including individuals with limited mobility and sensory impairments, and even a couple of nonagenarians. For Benthaus, the company added a patient transfer board that allowed her to move comfortably between the hatch of the capsule and her seat. Additionally, upon landing, a recovery team rolled out a carpet across the desert floor so she could easily access her wheelchair, which she had left behind during takeoff. Leading up to the flight, Benthaus practiced her movements, with Koenigsmann involved in designing and testing the setup. Moreover, an elevator was installed at the launch site to facilitate her ascent to the capsule positioned atop the rocket.
At just 33 years old, Benthaus is part of the European Space Agency’s graduate trainee program based in the Netherlands. Prior to this monumental flight, she experienced moments of weightlessness during a parabolic flight in Houston in 2022 and participated in a two-week simulated space mission in Poland less than two years later.
"I never really thought going on a spaceflight would be a viable option for me because, even for someone in good health, it's extremely competitive," she shared with The Associated Press before her launch. Her hopes were diminished after her accident, given the lack of precedent for individuals with disabilities venturing into space.
When Koenigsmann reached out last year to discuss the possibility of her flying with Blue Origin and experiencing over three minutes of weightlessness, Benthaus initially believed there had been a misunderstanding. However, it turned out there wasn’t, and she promptly signed up for the flight.
This mission was a personal endeavor for Benthaus, independent of the European Space Agency. Notably, ESA has recently approved John McFall, a British Paralympian who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident, as a reserve astronaut for a future International Space Station mission. Unlike McFall, who uses a prosthetic limb and could evacuate a spacecraft independently, Benthaus’s spinal injury leaves her unable to walk. Therefore, Koenigsmann was assigned as her emergency assistant during the flight, helping her navigate the steps from the capsule after landing.
Following her incredible journey, Benthaus encouraged others not to abandon their dreams, emphasizing, "You should never give up on your dreams, right?" She expressed a strong desire to maximize her independence, not only aiming to make space travel accessible for people with disabilities but also striving to enhance accessibility here on Earth.
Despite receiving significant encouragement within her "space bubble," she noted that societal inclusivity still has room for improvement. "I really hope it’s opening up for people like me; I hope I’m just the beginning," she commented.
In addition to Koenigsmann, Benthaus shared the spacecraft with various business leaders and investors, along with a computer scientist, contributing to Blue Origin’s growing roster of 86 space travelers.
Founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos in 2000, Blue Origin successfully launched its inaugural passenger flight in 2021. Since then, the company has expanded its operations to include delivering spacecraft to orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, utilizing the more powerful New Glenn rocket, and is currently working on missions to send landers to the Moon.
