• Michaela Benthaus, the first user of a wheel chair, travels to space
• She suffered a partial spinal cord paralysis 7 years ago due to a mountain biking accident

German engineer Michaela Benthaus achieved a historic milestone to become the first wheel chair user to travel to space.

Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury resulting from a mountain biking accident seven years ago.

She connected with a retired space engineer online to explore the possibility of fulfilling her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Thanks to his assistance, a historic 10-minute trip was organized with Blue Origin, the space tourism company founded by Jeff Bezos.

Bienthaus and five other participants from Texas launched on Saturday and reached a point above what is known as the "Kármán line," the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space.

After landing, Bienthaus said in a video posted by Blue Origin: "It was an amazing experience! I didn’t just love the view and the light weight, I enjoyed every stage of the ascent, and the feeling of rising was breathtaking."

The New Shepard vehicle launched from the Texas pad at 14:15 GMT.

The engineer transferred herself from her mobility chair into the capsule using an extended seat, with retired engineer Hans Königsman, who helped organize the trip, beside her to provide assistance if needed.

Benthaus said: "I met Hans for the first time online and asked him if, in his opinion, people like me could become astronauts."

Königsman added: "Her drive and passion inspired me to organize this trip and experience something I had only seen from a distance for a long time."

Blue Origin explained that the capsule was equipped with special tools to facilitate Bienthaus’ entry and exit. Phil Joyce, Executive Vice President of New Shepard, said: "Michi’s trip has a special meaning—it shows that space is accessible to everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve her dream."