Blue Origin NS-37: Michaela Benthaus Becomes First Wheelchair User to Reach Space

Yesterday morning, out in the dusty West Texas desert near Van Horn, something pretty remarkable happened. Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket lifted off smoothly at around 9:15 Eastern time, carrying six people on a quick trip to the edge of space. But this wasn't just another tourist hop— this flight made history by sending the first person who uses a wheelchair beyond the Kármán line, that invisible boundary 62 miles up where space officially begins.

Her name is Michaela "Michi" Benthaus, a 33-year-old German aerospace engineer who's been working at the European Space Agency. Back in 2018, a mountain biking accident left her with a spinal cord injury, and suddenly the dream of space felt out of reach. As she put it in interviews leading up to the flight, even before the accident, getting to space was insanely competitive. Afterward? It seemed impossible. There just wasn't any precedent for folks with disabilities making this kind of journey.

But that's exactly what changed on December 20, 2025. Benthaus joined five other crewmates—Joey Hyde, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, Jason Stansell, and Hans Koenigsmann (yeah, the retired SpaceX exec who helped make this happen for her)—in the New Shepard capsule. They rocketed up, crossed into weightlessness for a few magical minutes, took in those jaw-dropping views of Earth curving below, and then floated back down under parachutes for a gentle landing.

The whole thing lasted about 10 minutes, start to finish. The booster landed perfectly (as it does these days), and the capsule touched down safe and sound. Benthaus waved from the hatch afterward, all smiles, proving that with the right engineering and a bit of determination, space doesn't have to exclude anyone.

Blue Origin's Push Toward Inclusivity

What I love about this is how it highlights Blue Origin's push toward inclusivity. New Shepard was designed from the ground up to be more accessible than traditional spacecraft—no crazy G-forces, big windows, and room to accommodate different needs with minimal tweaks. They've flown people who are hard of hearing, have limb differences, or other challenges before, but this was a big milestone.

It's also a reminder of how fast private spaceflight is evolving. Jeff Bezos' company has now flown over 80 unique people to space on New Shepard alone, and missions like this one show it's not just for the ultra-fit or ultra-rich anymore (though, let's be real, it's still pricey). Benthaus's spot was sponsored in part by Koenigsmann, who connected with her online and wanted to make it happen.

The Mission: NS-37 Details

Detail	Information
Mission	NS-37
Launch Date	December 20, 2025 @ ~9:15 AM ET
Launch Site	Corn Ranch, Van Horn, Texas
Vehicle	New Shepard (Reusable)
Crew Size	6 passengers
Flight Duration	~10 minutes
Apogee	~100 km (Kármán line)
Status	✅ Successful

The Crew

• Michaela "Michi" Benthaus - ESA aerospace engineer, first wheelchair user in space
• Joey Hyde - Crew member
• Neal Milch - Crew member
• Adonis Pouroulis - Crew member
• Jason Stansell - Crew member
• Hans Koenigsmann - Retired SpaceX executive, sponsored Benthaus's flight

Breaking Barriers in Space

Watching the livestream, you could feel the excitement in the control room. The crew unbuckled, flipped around in zero-G, and just soaked it in. Benthaus later said she hopes this inspires others with disabilities to chase big dreams in STEM fields.

As we head into 2026, with bigger things like New Glenn orbital flights ramping up, moments like NS-37 feel like a turning point. Space isn't some distant, elite club—it's starting to open up. If a wheelchair user can float weightless above Earth today, who knows what barriers we'll break next?

Pretty cool way to close out 2025, if you ask me.

What This Means for Accessible Spaceflight

This mission represents more than just a personal achievement for Benthaus—it's a significant step forward for accessible spaceflight. New Shepard's design philosophy of accommodating diverse needs without major modifications shows that space travel can be inclusive from the start, rather than retrofitting accessibility as an afterthought.

Blue Origin has been at the forefront of this movement, having previously flown passengers with various accessibility needs. But NS-37 marks the first time someone who uses a wheelchair has crossed the Kármán line, setting a precedent for future missions and potentially opening doors for more people with disabilities to experience space.