Michaela Benthaus to become first wheelchair user to fly into space

Blue Origin is set to cross a historic milestone in human spaceflight, as German aerospace engineer Michaela Benthaus is all set to become the first wheelchair-bound person to travel to space aboard the company’s New Shepard rocket.

 

German aerospace and mechatronics engineer Michaela “Michi” Benthaus will fly on Blue Origin’s upcoming NS-37 mission, joining five other passengers on a suborbital journey that will take them beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

Who is Michaela Benthaus?

 

Benthaus has used a wheelchair since a mountain biking accident in 2018 left her with a spinal cord injury.

 

She continued her career in aerospace engineering and joined the European Space Agency in 2024 as a Young Graduate Trainee.

 

“In September 2018, a life-changing mountain biking accident led to a spinal cord injury, which has since required me to use a wheelchair. This challenge has only strengthened my resolve and commitment to the field of aerospace,” her LinkedIn bio reads.

 

“I am dedicated to inclusion within STEM, particularly in areas of space exploration and human spaceflight,” it reads further.

 

Her experience includes parabolic zero-gravity flights and serving as mission commander during a two-week analogue astronaut mission at the wheelchair-accessible Lunares Research Station in Poland.

 

Announcing her upcoming flight in a now-viral post on LinkedIn, Benthaus described the mission as a step forward for inclusion in space exploration.

 

“I might be the first, but I have no intention of being the last,” she wrote, adding that she hopes the mission prompts a broader rethink on accessibility in the space industry. 

What the mission involves

 

The NS-37 flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard will cross the Kármán Line, located 100 kilometres above Earth and widely recognised as the boundary of outer space.

 

The mission will last about 10–12 minutes, giving the crew several minutes of microgravity before returning to Earth. NS-37 will mark Blue Origin’s 16th human spaceflight. So far, the company has flown 86 people beyond the Kármán Line, including Jeff Bezos, actor William Shatner and singer Katy Perry.

 

Former SpaceX executive Hans Koenigsmann, who will fly alongside Benthaus, said the idea gained traction after initial discussions with Blue Origin. “They responded really, really well to us,” he told CNN, noting that Benthaus initially only considered a suborbital flight rather than a longer orbital mission.

 

Benthaus called the opportunity deeply personal. “I always wanted to go to space, but I never really considered it something which I could actually do,” she said, recalling her reaction when told the mission had been approved.

 

Beyond the flight

 

Benthaus and Koenigsmann are also using the mission to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord research. Through a GoFundMe campaign, they are supporting the Wings for Life Foundation, which funds scientific studies aimed at finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.

 

While Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme focuses on brief suborbital journeys, the upcoming NS-37 mission carries wider significance as it showcases a shift towards greater inclusion and representation in human spaceflight.