Blue Origin’s New Shepard completed its 16th passenger flight, carrying 33‑year‑old European Space Agency engineer Michaela “Michi” Benthaus — the first wheelchair user to fly on the suborbital tourism vehicle. Benthaus, paralyzed in a mountain‑bike accident seven years ago, described the flight as a long‑held dream realized.
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Briefing
Sets an accessibility precedent for commercial suborbital tourism: Blue Origin carried its first wheelchair‑using passenger, 33‑year‑old ESA engineer Michaela Benthaus, marking the company’s 16th passenger flight and a deliberate step to advance accessibility in New Shepard operations (see earlier coverage of the mission as a deliberate accessibility initiative: https://hype.aero/?story=155043de-52f4-4ee7-b446-cbce9d67626b).
Reinforces New Shepard’s operational cadence and manifest strategy as Blue Origin continues regular crewed flights; this flight follows recent mission planning and scheduling that positioned the launch in December (context on the NS‑37 scheduling and manifest: https://hype.aero/?story=e4427411-0ec5-4f80-9d86-ee577fe23cb5).
Reported By
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Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket Carries First Wheelchair User Into Space • southsoundmag.com
Blue Origin Successfully Completes 37th New Shepard Suborbital Flight • SpaceWatch Africa
A German Engineer Has Become The First Wheelchair User in Space • Science Alert
In a First, a Wheelchair User Joins a Short Flight to Space • New York Times
(TR) Historic spaceflight • airkule.com
Michaela Benthaus, German engineer, becomes first wheelchair user to fly to space • South China Morning Post
Blue Origin flies first wheelchair user to space • SpaceNews.com
Blue Origin launches first wheelchair user into space • cosmiclog.com
(DE) Space tourism: Two Germans complete short trip to space • tagesschau.de
(DE) German returns to Earth after short trip to space • sueddeutsche.de
(DE) Two Germans fly to space with Blue Origin • sueddeutsche.de
(DE) Paraplegic German begins short trip into space • sueddeutsche.de
