Blue Origin Flies First Wheelchair User To Space

• Blue Origin's NS-37 launched six crew, including ESA's Michi Benthaus, a wheelchair user.
• Benthaus is the first wheelchair user to cross the Karman Line on a suborbital flight.
• New Shepard has flown 92 people, and aims for increased flight rate in 2026+.

New Delhi: On 20 December, Blue Origin successfully launched the 37th flight of the New Shepard Programme. The crew of six included Michaela ‘Michi’ Benthaus,

an aerospace and mechatronics engineer from the European Space Agency, Physicist and quantitative investor Joey Hyde, German-American aerospace engineer Hans Koenigsmann, entrepreneur Neal Milch, mining engineer Adonis Pouroulis and space nerd Jason Stansell. In 2018, Benthaus was involved in a mountain biking accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, impacting her ability to walk. The flight was the first time that a wheelchair user crossed the Karman Line. Benthaus has previously flown a Zero-G research flight in 2022 and hass completed an analog astronaut mission.

Senior Vice President of New Shepard, Phil Joyce said, “NS-37 marks our ninth flight of the year and sets the stage for an increase in New Shepard flight rate in 2026 and beyond. This 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.”

Built for Accessibility

The New Shepard spaceship is built for accessibility with elevator access to the launch tower, allowing a wider range of people to travel to space. Apart from wheelchair users, New Shepard has previously flown those with limited mobility, low vision, legally blind and people who are hard of hearing. With the flight, New Shepard has flown 92 people into space. New Shepard offers short, suborbital spaceflights for paying customers with a reusable vehicle. The flight is fully automated without any pilots on board. Each flight lasts between 10 and 12 minutes, with the passengers experiencing zero gravity for a few minutes. Following the flight, parachutes are used to shed the velocity of the capsule for the descent.