A historic spaceflight took place on Saturday, December 20, 2025, when a German aerospace engineer became the first wheelchair user to travel into space. Michaela Benthaus, age 33, launched from West Texas on a rocket operated by Blue Origin, a private space company. The flight lasted about ten minutes and traveled more than 100 kilometers above Earth, which is known as the start of space. Space experts said the mission was an important step for commercial space travel. Benthaus lost the ability to walk after a mountain biking accident seven years earlier.

The spacecraft used for the flight operated automatically without pilots. Only small changes were needed to support the mission, including equipment to help movement inside the capsule. Engineers said the spacecraft already supported different physical needs. Benthaus trained before the flight through short weightlessness experiences and a simulated space mission in Europe. The mission showed challenges such as emergency support and help after landing.