Michaela Benthaus

Aerospace Engineer

German Kiel, Germany Leo

Quick Info

ProfessionAerospace Engineer
NationalityGerman
Date of Birth05/08/1992
Age34 years
BirthplaceKiel, Germany
Zodiac SignLeo

Latest News about Michaela Benthaus

20/12/2025

Michaela Benthaus became the first wheelchair user to reach space on December 20, 2025, aboard Blue Origin's NS-37 suborbital rocket from West Texas. The flight reached the Kármán line and gave her a brief period of weightlessness, marking a major milestone for accessibility and representation in human spaceflight. She flew with a six-person crew that included Hans Koenigsmann, Joey Hyde, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, and Jason Stansell.

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Bio/Wiki

NicknameMichi
Known forBeing the first wheelchair user to travel to space

Physical Stats & More

Eye ColorGreen
Hair ColorLight Blonde

Educational Qualification(s)

Institutions
  • Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
  • Gran Sasso Hands-on (PhD School), Italy
  • Technical University of Munich, Germany
Degrees
  • Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics, Robotics, Automation Engineering from Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
  • Astroparticle Physics from Gran Sasso Hands-on (PhD School), Italy (September 2023)
  • Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (Space and Astrophysics) from Technical University of Munich (2020-2024)

Personal Life

Food HabitNon-vegetarian
Marital StatusUnmarried

Career

OverviewMichaela Benthaus has had a progressive career in aerospace engineering, marking several significant milestones.
Positions
  • From October 2016 to April 2021, worked as a Working Student at Linz Centre of Mechatronics GmbH.
  • Interned at GSOC/Space Flight Dynamics German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in September 2022.
  • Worked as a working student at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics from January 2023 to January 2024.
  • Joined the European Space Agency in October 2024 as a Young Graduate Trainee in Mars Radio Occultation.
  • Appointed as an Astro Access ambassador and participated in parabolic flight in July 2022.
Significant Events
  • Completed an analogue astronaut mission by flying on a Zero-G research flight in 2022.
  • In December 2025, became the first wheelchair user to go above the Karman Line, flying aboard Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket.
  • On 20/12/2025, became the first wheelchair user to go above the Karman Line, flying aboard Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin NS-37 rocket from West Texas, reaching 65 miles in altitude.

Favourites

Hobbies
  • Mountain-biking
  • Travelling
  • Swimming
  • Playing guitar
  • Skiing
  • Playing tennis

Style Quotient

FitnessA fitness enthusiast who regularly shares her gym sessions on social media.

Social Media

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/michi_benthaus/
LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/michaela-benthaus-5b4660208/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Started mountain-biking in 2016.
2. Met with a mountain-biking accident in 2018, resulting in a spinal cord injury.
3. Often shares pictures of her pet dog and her gym activities on social media.
4. Enjoys socializing and occasionally indulges in alcoholic beverages.

Also born on 5 August

Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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