The first person in a wheelchair crossed the border of space: details of the historic flight

According to glavcom.ua: The American company Blue Origin successfully conducted its 37th flight as part of the New Shepard program. This historic mission was marked by the fact that for the first time a person in a wheelchair crossed the Kármán line - the boundary of space. This was reported on the company's official website.

Phil Joyce, Vice President of Blue Origin, noted: 'NS-37 is our ninth flight this year, which has laid the foundation for increasing the number of flights in the future.'

According to the company, New Shepard has already sent 92 people to space. The vehicle's technology is designed with accessibility in mind, featuring fully autonomous control and an elevator on the launch tower, expanding opportunities for individuals with different physical abilities in space flights.

Space is for everyone. pic.twitter.com/OUs4V2LURA

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) December 20, 2025

The first wheelchair astronaut

Among the crew of NS-37 was Michaela Benthaus, an aerospace and mechatronics engineer who decided to show that wheelchair users can also make suborbital flights after a spinal cord injury. The Kármán line was also crossed by a physicist, aerospace engineer, entrepreneurs, and a space exploration enthusiast.

This historic mission once again confirmed that space is open to everyone, regardless of physical abilities or profession. Michaela Benthaus, along with other participants, took a significant step in exploring space and creating a more accessible environment for future space travel.