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First Wheelchair User Launches to Space with Blue Origin

12/20/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Michaela Benthaus, a German aerospace engineer, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard on December 20, 2025.
The roughly 10-minute flight produced weightlessness and allowed views of Earth from over 65 miles above.
Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury in a 2018 biking accident and was assisted by five other passengers, including Hans Koenigsmann, former SpaceX executive.

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Story summary

Michaela Benthaus, a German aerospace engineer, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard on December 20, 2025.
The roughly 10-minute flight produced weightlessness and allowed views of Earth from over 65 miles above.
Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury in a 2018 biking accident and was assisted by five other passengers, including Hans Koenigsmann, former SpaceX executive.