German engineer Michaela Benthaus has become the first person to fly into space as a wheelchair user. She completed a short suborbital flight launched from Texas, USA.
According to BBC News, Michaela Benthaus suffered a spinal cord injury 7 years ago as a result of a mountain biking accident. Despite this, she contacted a retired space engineer online to explore the possibility of becoming an astronaut.
As a result, a historic flight was realized, organized by the company Blue Origin. During the flight, a crew of 6 people crossed the Karman line, considered the boundary of space, and completed a mission lasting approximately 10 minutes.
Benthaus, who works at the European Space Agency, stated that after her accident, she gained a deeper understanding of how inaccessible the world still is for people with disabilities, and this flight held special significance for her both professionally and personally.