Engineer Becomes the First Wheelchair User to Travel to Space

Shreya Majumder
Jan 16
3 min read

Published: 16 January 2026

Written by: Shreya Majumder

A Historic Mission That Redefines Who Gets to Reach Space

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For Michaela Benthaus, space was never just a distant dream. It was a goal she refused to let go of, even after life changed in an instant.

Seven years ago, a mountain biking accident left the German engineer with a spinal cord injury and dependent on a wheelchair. Instead of giving up on her childhood ambition of becoming an astronaut, Michaela chose to ask a bold question: Could someone like me still go to space? Last weekend, she became the answer.

Michaela made history by becoming the world’s first wheelchair user to travel beyond Earth, flying aboard a Blue Origin rocket on a short but unforgettable sub-orbital mission from Texas. The flight carried her and five other passengers just past the Kármán line, the internationally recognised edge of space, offering a few precious minutes of weightlessness before returning safely to Earth.

“It was the coolest experience,” she said, with a wide smile, in a video released after the landing. “I loved the view, the microgravity, but even the launch itself was incredible. Every stage of going up was just amazing.”

The journey was made possible after Michaela reached out online to Hans Koenigsmann, a retired SpaceX executive. She asked him a simple but powerful question, whether people with disabilities could still dream of becoming astronauts. Inspired by her determination, Koenigsmann helped coordinate the flight and joined her onboard to assist if needed. “It was her drive that convinced me,” he said. “She made me want to help make this experience possible.”

Michaela, who works at the European Space Agency, has often spoken about how her accident opened her eyes to how inaccessible the world still is for people with disabilities. For the flight, Blue Origin modified its ground equipment to support her boarding and exit. She was able to transfer herself into the capsule using a specially extended bench.

Blue Origin’s senior vice president Phil Joyce said the mission carried special meaning. “Michi’s flight shows that space truly is for everyone. We are proud to have helped her achieve her dream.”

While the cost of the mission has not been disclosed, the flight marked one of Blue Origin’s latest sub-orbital tourism launches. The company has already taken dozens of civilians to space, including several high-profile passengers in recent months, a sign of the rapidly growing and highly competitive space tourism industry.

For Michaela Benthaus, however, this journey was about far more than tourism. It was about proving that dreams do not have to end where obstacles begin, and that even space can become a place of belonging.