Overview
- Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old German engineer paralyzed from the chest down since a 2018 biking accident, works at the European Space Agency.
- She is slated to fly on a Blue Origin suborbital mission from West Texas, with the launch date not disclosed.
- The flight lasts about ten minutes and reaches roughly 100 kilometers, providing brief weightlessness.
- Benthaus says the mission aims to open doors for future crews with disabilities and describes herself as the experiment.
- Blue Origin has flown around 80 passengers, including celebrities, while facing criticism over climate impact and opaque ticket pricing.