Commercial space exploration is about to reach a new milestone. On its upcoming suborbital tourist flight, Blue Origin will, for the first time, take a wheelchair user into space—a symbolic and concrete step forward in the discussion of inclusion beyond Earth. The information was reported by Olhar Digital.

The passenger is Michaela Benthaus, an aerospace and mechatronics engineer from Germany, currently affiliated with the European Space Agency (ESA). Her story stands out not only for this unprecedented achievement but also for her perseverance. In 2018, Michaela suffered a serious mountain biking accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and the loss of movement in her legs. Despite this, her professional career in the space sector has never been interrupted.

Since then, she has gained experiences directly related to preparation for space missions. In 2022, she participated in a parabolic flight to experience microgravity. In 2024, she joined a 15-day analog mission in Poland, simulating routines and challenges faced by astronauts in extreme environments. Her background underscores her technical and physical readiness for the flight.

Nicknamed “Michi,” Michaela is part of the six-civilian crew for the NS-37 mission, scheduled to launch this Thursday (18) at 1:00 PM Brasília time. During the flight, passengers will experience about four minutes of weightlessness, along with the opportunity to observe the curvature of the Earth—a moment often described as profound and transformative.

The designation NS-37 marks the 37th flight of the New Shepard rocket, Blue Origin’s reusable vehicle. So far, the company has taken 86 people to space through this program, some on multiple missions. With this launch, Blue Origin not only increases that number but also redefines who can occupy a seat at the final frontier.