A brief suborbital journey from Texas delivered a landmark moment for commercial space travel this weekend. Blue Origin successfully flew aerospace engineer Michi Benthaus to space and back, making her the first wheelchair user to cross the recognised boundary of space and return safely to Earth.
The New Shepard rocket lifted off from West Texas at 9:15 a.m. EST on Saturday, carrying Benthaus and 5 other passengers on a short mission that highlighted growing accessibility in space tourism. The flight underscored the message that physical limitations do not prevent participation in spaceflight as commercial missions expand beyond career astronauts.
Benthaus, an engineer with the European Space Agency, has used a wheelchair since a mountain biking accident in 2018. According to a published report, she became the first wheelchair user to pass the space boundary after the mission cleared earlier delays caused by a technical issue detected during pre flight checks.
She flew alongside investors Joey Hyde and Adonis Pouroulis, aerospace engineer Hans Koenigsmann, entrepreneur Neal Milch, and space enthusiast Jason Stansell. Koenigsmann, known for his work at SpaceX, played a key role in ensuring mission readiness and safety.
The mission was designated NS 37 and marked the 37th flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard system. The fully reusable rocket and capsule carried the crew beyond the 62 mile high Kármán line, allowing a few minutes of weightlessness and views of Earth set against the darkness of space before a safe parachute assisted landing.
New Shepard missions typically last around 10 to 12 minutes. So far, 17 crewed flights have transported 92 passengers. Ticket prices remain undisclosed, reflecting continued interest and demand for private space travel.
The successful return of the crew adds to Blue Origin’s growing track record and reinforces the role of commercial spaceflight in widening access to space experiences.
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