Blue Origin’s Space Tourism Expands with First Wheelchair User on New Shepard Flight, Here’s All You Need to Know

Published on December 21, 2025

On the 20th of December 2025, Blue Origin, a space tourism venture owned by Jeff Bezos, made a major milestone in the journey of human space exploration by successfully conducting its 16th passenger trip on the New Shepard space vehicle. This maiden space journey, conducted from West Texas, made several records. To name a few, the most important was Michaela Benthaus, a German space engineer, reaching space, who made history by becoming the first wheelchair-bound person to do so.

A Pioneering Step for Space Accessibility

Michaela Benthaus’ participation in the Blue Origin flight represents a crucial moment in making space travel accessible to people with disabilities. Benthaus, who was injured in a mountain biking accident in 2018, has been an advocate for breaking barriers in both space exploration and engineering. Her journey to space demonstrates the ongoing effort to make space tourism more inclusive, with technology and innovation paving the way for a wider range of participants.

Before the flight, Benthaus expressed her excitement about being part of such a historic mission, one that she hopes will inspire others with disabilities to dream big and pursue their goals in the aerospace industry. She was able to participate in the mission thanks to the careful design of Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule, which accommodated her wheelchair and allowed her to safely experience space.

This marks an important moment for space tourism, which has been traditionally seen as a domain for able-bodied individuals. With companies like Blue Origin making strides in inclusivity, the future of space travel could see a much broader range of participants from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and walks of life.

The Flight Details: A Quick but Stunning Journey to the Edge of Space

The New Shepard spacecraft took off from Blue Origin’s launch site in West Texas at around 15:15 Luxembourg time. The six-person crew, including Benthaus and former SpaceX executive Hans Koenigsmann, experienced a brief but exhilarating journey to the edge of space, where they crossed the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, about 100 kilometers above Earth.

The capsule’s journey lasted only 11 minutes, but the passengers were able to experience several minutes of weightlessness before safely landing back in the Texas desert. The flight’s suborbital nature means that the crew members were able to briefly float in space, taking in stunning views of Earth and experiencing a unique sensation of freedom and weightlessness that only a few have had the privilege to feel.

The crew included notable figures like Koenigsmann, who worked at SpaceX for two decades and played a key role in the development of its avionics systems. His presence on the flight added another layer of prestige to the mission, showcasing the intersection of private space exploration with top-tier aerospace talent.

Blue Origin’s Space Tourism Mission Continues to Evolve

Blue Origin’s New Shepard space tourism craft, designed specifically for short suborbital flights, has been used to send both paying passengers and research experiments to the edge of space. While the company has not disclosed the cost of a seat on one of its flights, industry estimates suggest that the price for a ticket is in the range of $600,000—comparable to competitors like Virgin Galactic, which charges around $512,000 for a similar experience.

This recent flight marks a continued commitment to expanding the reach of space tourism. While the 16th flight may have been relatively short in duration, it signals that space tourism is evolving rapidly, with more accessible options being developed for a wide range of people. Blue Origin’s ongoing efforts to innovate in this field suggest that it will continue to play a leading role in making space travel more commercially viable and accessible.

Blue Origin’s Broader Impact on Space Tourism

The inclusion of a wheelchair user on this flight speaks to the broader impact that space tourism can have on society. As the industry grows, it offers not only a thrilling experience for the wealthy elite but also the potential to open up new frontiers for inclusivity in technology and exploration. Blue Origin’s mission to make space accessible could inspire other companies in the field to develop more inclusive spaceflight technologies, paving the way for more diverse participation in future missions.

Beyond the excitement of the flight itself, the mission demonstrates that space tourism is more than just a novelty for the rich and famous. It has the potential to serve as a catalyst for scientific discovery, inspire innovation, and create a new sense of shared human experience as we look toward the stars. The inclusion of figures like Benthaus can help shift the narrative from space as an exclusive endeavor to space as a universal pursuit—one that anyone can participate in, regardless of physical limitations.

Future of Space Tourism and the Role of Blue Origin

Blue Origin’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space tourism continues with its New Shepard and New Glenn programs. While New Shepard is focused on suborbital flights for tourists, the New Glenn rocket is intended for larger payloads, including satellites and spacecraft, and aims to compete with SpaceX’s more extensive offerings in the orbital launch market. The company’s future plans include not just more tourism flights, but also potential missions to the Moon and beyond.

The successful inclusion of a wheelchair user in space also highlights the growing awareness within the space industry of the need to accommodate a broader range of passengers. As more people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to participate in space tourism, Blue Origin will continue to play a significant role in this evolution, bringing space closer to everyone.

A New Era for Space Travel

The flight by Blue Origin on December 20, 2025, was one for the history books in opening up space tourism to all. The company has made one very important move toward making space travel accessible for people with disabilities, further cementing its role as a leader in the burgeoning space tourism industry. And with technology improving day in and day out, space is now much more welcoming than ever before for people of all backgrounds.