Blue Origin is about to launch its first spacecraft carrying a wheelchair user.

(CLO) Blue Origin is aiming for December 18th for its historic first space flight with a wheelchair user.

The company's mission, codenamed NS-37, is expected to usher in a new era of accessibility in space travel.

The mission, designated NS-37, is expected to carry six passengers. Photo: Blue Origin

According to an announcement made on December 11th, the mission, codenamed NS-37, is expected to take six people on a short flight to near-orbit before returning to Earth.

If everything goes according to plan, this will be a historic milestone for manned spaceflight, as a wheelchair user will experience space for the first time.

That remarkable person is Michaela (Michi) Benthaus, an aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA). She has been confined to a wheelchair since suffering a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident in 2018.

Benthaus's participation in the flight is seen as a significant step in expanding accessibility and promoting inclusion in the field of manned space travel.

The NS-37 spacecraft will be launched from Blue Origin's launch pad in West Texas, during the launch window at 9:30 a.m. EST. Blue Origin will livestream the event, starting approximately 40 minutes before launch.

As its name suggests, NS-37 is the 37th flight of the New Shepard system, Blue Origin's autonomous flying vehicle, which includes a crew capsule and a booster rocket, both of which are reusable.

Each New Shepard flight lasts approximately 10–12 minutes, from takeoff to landing. During this short journey, passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness and admire Earth standing out against the deep black backdrop of space.

Source: https://congluan.vn/blue-origin-sap-lan-dau-tien-phong-tau-vu-tru-cho-theo-nguoi-dung-xe-lan-10322497.html