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Woman Engineer Becomes 1st Wheelchair User To Fly To Space On Blue Origin

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"There is no planet B [habitable to human beings]."

"I would never say we can never reach the stars and possible habitable planets."

"The discovery of Gliese 12 b is a stepping stone towards finding potentially habitable planets."

The discovery of several smaller and cooler stars is "the best bet for finding habitable planets."

"[W]e're more likely to detect planets in the habitable zone with TESS [NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite]."

Will We Find Another Inhabitable Planet?

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"That there will not be a manned flight to Mars in 2028, nor in 2031, and probably not for twenty years after that."

"I'd say that [2040] is an audacious goal for us to meet."

"I’m thinking somewhere between 2040 and 2050."

"Humans are unlikely to step foot on Mars until the 2040s/2050s at the earliest, and there’ll never be a significant human settlement there because Mars is basically uninhabitable."

"Since nothing ever seems to go exactly according to plan, I'd expect something more like 2040."

"Space agencies hoping to send crewed missions to Mars by the early 2030s will either have to double down on their budgets or settle for less ambitious missions."

"And if we persevere on this pathway, we can reach Mars itself before 2035."

"We want to achieve a Mars landing in 2033."

"Humans will set out for Mars in the 2029 or 2031 windows, most likely."

"I think that the first human mission to Mars will take place about 2030, even though it is not currently on NASA’s schedule or any other space agency."

"Human landings [on Mars] may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely."

Will humans be sent to Mars before 2036?

Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space on Saturday aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. The flight launched from West Texas at 8:15 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 10 minutes.

Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space on Saturday aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. The flight launched from West Texas at 8:15 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 10 minutes.

Benthaus suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident in 2018 at age 26. She stated that after her accident, she realized how inaccessible the world remains for people with disabilities and emphasized the need for inclusivity in all aspects of society.

Benthaus suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident in 2018 at age 26. She stated that after her accident, she realized how inaccessible the world remains for people with disabilities and emphasized the need for inclusivity in all aspects of society.

Hans Koenigsmann, a retired SpaceX executive from Germany, accompanied Benthaus on the flight and helped organize and sponsor her trip along with Blue Origin. Benthaus had contacted Koenigsmann online to ask whether someone like her could become an astronaut.

Hans Koenigsmann, a retired SpaceX executive from Germany, accompanied Benthaus on the flight and helped organize and sponsor her trip along with Blue Origin. Benthaus had contacted Koenigsmann online to ask whether someone like her could become an astronaut.

The New Shepard capsule crossed the Karman line, reaching an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Passengers experienced several minutes of weightlessness during the suborbital flight before the capsule descended back to the Texas desert.

The New Shepard capsule crossed the Karman line, reaching an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Passengers experienced several minutes of weightlessness during the suborbital flight before the capsule descended back to the Texas desert.

This was the 16th crewed flight for Blue Origin's New Shepard program, which has previously flown 92 people above the Karman line. The company does not publicly disclose ticket prices, though similar experiences with Virgin Galactic cost around $600,000.

This was the 16th crewed flight for Blue Origin's New Shepard program, which has previously flown 92 people above the Karman line. The company does not publicly disclose ticket prices, though similar experiences with Virgin Galactic cost around $600,000.

Blue Origin added ground support equipment including a patient transfer board to help Benthaus enter and exit the capsule. NASA chief Jared Isaacman congratulated Benthaus on social media, stating she inspired millions to imagine what is possible.

Blue Origin added ground support equipment including a patient transfer board to help Benthaus enter and exit the capsule. NASA chief Jared Isaacman congratulated Benthaus on social media, stating she inspired millions to imagine what is possible.

First Wheelchair User Reaches Space on Blue Origin Flight

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