Blue Origin made history recently, sending for the first time a person who uses a wheelchair past the Kármán line, an internationally recognized boundary of space that’s 62 miles above Earth.
Michaela “Michi” Benthaus, who suffered a spinal cord injury after a mountain biking accident in 2018, and her five teammates, who nicknamed themselves the “Out of the Blue” crew, spent several minutes in microgravity before safely returning to Earth with the assistance of parachutes and a retro thrust system. The entire mission lasted about 10 minutes.
During the webcast, Blue Origin explained that the launch tower, equipped with an elevator, and the crew capsule did not require any modifications for Benthaus, as they were originally designed to accommodate individuals with disabilities and reduced mobility. Blue Origin also partners with AstroAccess, a project dedicated to promoting disability inclusion in human space exploration by paving the way for disabled astronauts, which is sponsored by the nonprofit SciAccess, Inc. Benthaus, an aerospace and mechatronics engineer at the European Space Agency, told ABC News that she was eager to participate, especially because she feels as if she has waited “very long for it.”
“I am excited to show the world that wheelchair users can also go on a suborbital flight, and I’m really happy that Blue Origin is supporting this,” Benthaus said. In a Blue Origin profile video shown prior to the launch, she added, “I think there was never one single moment when I realized my dream of going to space was over. I really figured out how inaccessible our world still is and how sometimes socially excluding a wheelchair can be, even when one is actively trying to participate.”
In a statement, Blue Origin emphasized that “the crew exemplifies the breadth and diversity of people who can now experience spaceflight, from engineers and scientists to entrepreneurs, teachers, and investors from all over the world. Each brings their unique perspective and passion for exploration. Michi’s flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream.”
