History was made in December when Michaela Benthaus became the world's first wheelchair user to go into space.
Michaela, a German engineer who works at the European Space Agency, blasted off from Texas aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, fulfilling a dream she feared was impossible after a spinal cord injury back in 2018.
The 10-minute flight took Michaela and five others - including retired SpaceX manager Hans Koenigsmann - past the Karman line, the boundary of space. Upon landing, she described it as "the coolest experience", praising both the weightlessness and the intensity of the launch.
The mission came about after Michaela reached out to Hans online, asking if someone with her disability could ever become an astronaut. To ensure accessibility, Blue Origin added ground support equipment and a specialised bench, which enabled Michaela to transfer from her wheelchair into the capsule independently.
Michaela's journey marks a significant milestone in making the final frontier accessible to everyone.
Photo: Blue Origin
