Michaela Benthaus Makes History As First Wheelchair User In Space

Alvaro Aragon
Wed, 21 Jan 2026 07:57:02 -0800

On December 20, 2025, Michaela "Michi" Benthaus became the first person in a wheelchair to travel to space. The 33-year-old German aerospace engineer launched from West Texas aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-37 spacecraft. Her flight marked an important step toward making space travel more accessible to people with physical disabilities.