On August 10th, 2023, the mom-and-daughter crew from Antigua and Barbuda Keisha Schahaff, aged 46, and Anastasia Mayers, aged 18, set foot on the Galactic 02 spaceflight launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico. How did they get there?
In 2021, they received tickets for the Galactic 02 launch, which is often offered for 450,000 USD. The draw, held by Virgin Atlantic as a part of a charity occasion elevating funds for the non-revenue group Space for Humanity, solely required a minimal donation of 10,00 USD.
Keisha, an entrepreneur and well being and wellness coach, couldn’t consider her luck when she was chosen. In an interview launched in July 2023, just some weeks earlier than the expedition, she mentioned: “When I was two years old, just looking up to the skies, I thought, ‘How can I get there?’ But, being from the Caribbean, I didn’t see how something like this would be possible. The fact that I am here, the first to travel to space from Antigua, shows that space really is becoming more accessible. I know I will be changed by my experience, and I hope I will be able to share that energy and inspire the people around me—in my role as a life coach, a mother, and as an ambassador for our beautiful planet.”
Before we delve deeper into their unimaginable journey, if you happen to’re discovering worth on this video, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe, and share it with your folks. It helps extra individuals uncover these unimaginable tales!
The Expedition of Records
The Galactic 02 mission flew a trio of personal passengers to the sting of house, and achieved a number of milestones:
- First astronauts from the Caribbean.
- First mom and daughter duo to journey to house.
- First Olympian to journey to house.
- The second youngest individual to journey to house.
- The second individual with Parkinson’s illness to journey to house.
Keisha and Anastatia’s British fellow Galactic 02 passenger John Goodwin, aged 80, acknowledged: “From changing into an Olympian to canoeing between the peaks of Annapurna to profitable a six-day race within the Arctic Circle, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (and biking again down), I’ve at all times loved rising to new challenges.
When I used to be recognized with Parkinson’s in 2014, I used to be decided to not let it stand in the lifestyle life to the fullest. And now for me to go to house with Parkinson’s is totally magical. I hope this conjures up all others dealing with adversity and reveals them that challenges don’t must inhibit or cease them from pursuing their desires.”
There is a significant mission hidden contained in the house mission
Virgin Galactic acknowledged in a press launch that “The dynamic and multi-nationwide crew highlights the position the industrial house business can play in eradicating obstacles that when existed to changing into an astronaut. To date, fewer than seven hundred individuals have traveled to house, with little range amongst that group.
Virgin Galactic’s mission is to alter that—starting with an eight-hundred-sturdy future astronaut group that represents greater than sixty completely different nations.” By flying three vacationer astronauts or non-public passengers, the mission showcased the ability of every Virgin Galactic spaceflight to assist redefine who will get to be an astronaut.
Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier remarked: “This flight highlights two of Virgin Galactic’s core aspirations—growing entry to house and provoking individuals around the globe. Each of those astronauts is a job mannequin and beacon of inspiration of their communities.
Watching Keisha, Anastasia, and John embark on this transformative expertise helps reveal that house is now opening to a broader and extra numerous inhabitants throughout the globe.”
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Who are Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers?
Born in 1977 in Antigua and Barbuda, Keisha Schahaff is a well being and wellness coach along with her personal web page which focuses on holistic wellbeing, plant-primarily based vitamin, and power therapeutic exercises. She strongly believes that reconnecting with our thoughts and spirit is as important as therapeutic our bodily physique. In an Instagram Live speak On October twenty first, The 46-yr-previous mom of two dives deep into the gorgeous and complicated world of the mom-daughter bond, which is one thing she addresses from a complete new perspective after sharing such an unimaginable expertise along with her daughter.
18-yr-previous Anastasia Mayers is a philosophy and physics scholar at Aberdeen University, within the United Kingdom. Quite an fascinating mixture of sciences, which left no doubts when Mom had to decide on who to take along with her on her unimaginable journey to house. Interestingly, Anastasia is just not the primary astronaut to hail from the University of Aberdeen. In 2004, ex-alumni Brian Binnie, son of a physics professor on the identical University, piloted Space Ship One to house and received the Ansari X Prize, which ultimately led to the launch of Virgin Galactic.
Brian Binnie piloted Flight 11P – making its first rocket-powered flight and changing into the primary privately constructed craft to realize supersonic flight – on 17 December 2003, on the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight of an plane: fairly an fascinating coincidence!
The duo obtained a tropical flowers bouquet and a present bag from the Minister of Tourism, Investment and Economic Development of Antigua and Barbuda, The Honorable Charles “Max” Fernandez, who took the time to increase his congratulations to the fabulous duo in St John’s, Antigua in December 2021. He advised Keisha “You will be carrying the whole of Antigua and Barbuda with you, and this type of recognition is priceless”, and provided the total assist of the nation in aiding the 2 girls on this “phenomenal journey”. CEO of The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Colin C. James, Marketing Communications Manager Maria Blackman and Sports Tourism Officer throughout the Ministry of Tourism Karen Joseph all joined the assembly and agreed that the pair is representing the nation in an unprecedented journey that made the Caribbean nation very proud and excited.
Virgin Atlantic and Galactic 02
Galactic 02 was a crewed sub-orbital spaceflight of the Space Ship Tw-class VSS Unity. It was the second industrial house flight and seventh general spaceflight for American aerospace firm Virgin Galactic. This particular and distinctive mission was the primary to hold house vacationers (people who find themselves not working in the course of the flight), because the earlier flight, Galactic 01, carried astronauts from the Italian Air Force and the Italian National Research Council, who carried out analysis experiments in the course of the flight.
The crew included Commander CJ Sturckow, on his eighth house flight, Pilot Kelly Latimer on her first house flight, Astronaut teacher Beth Moses on her fourth house flight – all three are USA nationals – and the three vacationer crew members, British John Goodwin, and our two unimaginable women Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers from Antigua and Barbuda.
The flight lasted – as deliberate – about 90 minutes, reaching a prime velocity of Mach 3 – thrice the velocity of sound – or 2,301 miles per hour. Passengers skilled about three minutes of weightlessness on the prime of the flight’s trajectory as they arched briefly into house earlier than descending again to Earth. Prior to the launch, all passengers underwent a full medical examination by an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) accepted physician, and no issues had been raised.
This expertise has taught us loads. Space journey, an unattainable dream for many of us, is changing into increasingly more actual, vivid, and considerably accessible. Just a number of years in the past, the thought of Caribbean individuals and even individuals with disabilities flying a spacecraft could be elevating fairly a number of eyebrows. The concept of girls in house, regardless of many feminine explorers together with well-known Italian Air Force pilot and engineer Samantha Cristoforetti, continues to be seen by many with sexist doubts and issues. The Galactic 02 mission opened the doorways of house journey to a brand new set of people that would have by no means dreamt of exploring house and collaborating in such an thrilling journey.
We salute Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, who will at all times be remembered within the historical past of house journey as the primary Caribbean girls in house. We hope this unprecedented occasion will encourage new generations of Caribbean women and men, and drive them to beat their limits and push all boundaries, for a future wealthy with alternatives and discoveries.
In the huge tapestry of the cosmos, stars are born, and so they shine, every with a novel brilliance. From the guts of the Caribbean, Keisha and Anastasia remind us that our personal potential is as limitless because the universe itself. They’ve etched their names not simply within the annals of house journey, however into the very spirit of humankind, proving that desires, regardless of how distant or unbelievable, will be reached. Let their journey encourage you: to look past horizons, to chase your individual stars, and to consider within the unimaginable energy of your individual desires. Every nice voyage begins with a single step, or of their case, a leap into the cosmos.
Remember, the universe isn’t simply on the market; it’s inside every certainly one of us. Continue to succeed in for the celebs, and who is aware of? Maybe at some point, you too would possibly contact the sky.
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Until subsequent time, preserve trying up.”
