An engineer from Germany has made history by becoming the world's first wheelchair user to fly into space.
Michaela Benthaus, who suffered a spinal cord injury from a mountain biking accident seven years prior, approached a retired space engineer online to discuss her dreams of becoming an astronaut. With his assistance, she was able to organize a historical ten-minute space flight aboard a Blue Origin rocket.
On Saturday, Ms. Benthaus, along with five other passengers, launched into space from Texas, reaching a height beyond the Kármán line, the defined boundary of space.
It was the coolest experience! she exclaimed after landing, as seen in a video shared by Blue Origin. I didn't only like the view and the micro-gravity, but I also liked going up. That was so cool, every stage of going up.
New Shepard, Blue Origin's reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle, lifted off from the company's Texas site at 14:15 GMT.
Working at the European Space Agency, Ms. Benthaus remarked on the stark realization of how inaccessible the world is for people with disabilities since her accident. She ingeniously maneuvered herself from her wheelchair into the capsule by employing a bench that extended from the hatch.
Hans Koenigsmann, a retired SpaceX manager who played a vital role in organizing the trip, was onboard to assist her if needed. I met Hans online for the first time, she said. I just asked him, you know, you worked for so long for SpaceX, do you think that people like me can be astronauts?
In response, Koenigsmann shared that Ms. Benthaus's determination inspired him to assist: It’s her drive that convinced me to do this. I wanted to experience something I had only seen from the outside for a long time.
To facilitate Ms. Benthaus's access, Blue Origin included special ground support equipment for entering and exiting the capsule. Phil Joyce, the senior vice-president of New Shepard, stated, Michi's flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream.
While details about the costs associated with the mission, Blue Origin's 16th suborbital space tourism launch, haven't been disclosed, the company continues to bring various tourists to space.
Notably, in April, celebrities such as Katy Perry and CBS presenter Gayle King took part in a similar adventure aboard a Blue Origin rocket, thereby enhancing the competitive landscape of private space tourism.
