A historic spaceflight took place on Saturday, December 20, 2025, when a German aerospace engineer became the first wheelchair user to travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Michaela Benthaus, age 33, launched from West Texas aboard a suborbital rocket operated by Blue Origin, a private space company founded in 2000. The flight lasted about ten minutes and reached more than 100 kilometers above Earth, a height widely recognized as the boundary of space. Space experts described the mission as an unprecedented step in the development of commercial space travel. Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident seven years earlier, which ended the ability to walk but did not end a career in aerospace engineering. The mission was privately organized during a period when space companies are increasing opportunities for people outside traditional astronaut programs.

The flight was made possible through detailed technical preparation and careful planning. The New Shepard capsule used for the mission is fully autonomous, meaning the spacecraft operates without pilots and relies on automated systems. Only small adjustments were needed, including a transfer board to support movement between the seat and the capsule entrance. Engineers involved in training explained that the spacecraft design already supported a wide range of physical needs, showing progress in accessibility within space technology. Benthaus completed earlier preparation through weightlessness flights and a simulated space mission in Europe, demonstrating professional resilience after a serious injury. The mission also revealed challenges such as emergency procedures and post-landing assistance, which required trained crew support. Space researchers stated that such flights may influence future safety standards and encourage further initiative in inclusive spacecraft design.