Virgin Galactic has successfully launched its maiden space tourism flight, carrying its first group of passengers to the edge of space.
Among the passengers on board the VSS Unity were Keisha Schahaff, 46, and her 18-year-old daughter Anastatia Mayers, a student at the University of Aberdeen, as well as Jon Goodwin, a former Olympian from Newcastle who competed in canoeing during the 1972 Munich Games
The VSS Unity took its passengers around 55 miles (88km) above Earth, providing them with an experience of zero gravity during the one-hour flight duration.
The participation of a mother-daughter pair, Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, hailing from Antigua and Barbuda, was secured through a fortuitous prize draw. This expedition marked an unprecedented occurrence in Caribbean history, representing the maiden voyage of a mother-daughter team from the region into outer space.
Schahaff’s journey took an unexpected turn while she was en route to the UK to handle her daughter’s visa arrangements. It was during a Virgin Atlantic flight from Antigua to London to sort this issue that an advertisement with the opportunity cropped up.
Before the flight commenced, Mayers revealed that her decision to pursue studies in Scotland played a pivotal role in the opportunity that lay before her, enabling her venture into space. Reflecting on the twists of fate that brought them to this juncture, she shared, “Had I not randomly chosen Aberdeen University and had we not had to take a massive detour to get my visa – we wouldn’t be going to space. I feel like a lot of things had to happen at very specific moments for us to end up here.”
As a second-year student of philosophy and physics, Mayers characterised her choice to study in Scotland as a monumental decision that subsequently opened the door to extraordinary experiences. Her selection of a university pin to accompany her on the journey symbolised the institution’s unwavering support. She acknowledged that this venture aboard the Virgin Galactic deepened her connection to Earth and kindled a fervour for exploration.
Upon their return to solid ground, Schahaff expressed her lingering sense of weightlessness, remarking, “I’m still up there, I’m not here yet, and it’s just amazing that you can land so smoothly on the runway coming back from space. It was so comfortable, it was really the best ride ever, and I would love to do this again.”
Mayers, being the second-youngest astronaut to embark on a space journey, found significance in her feat not only for herself but also as an inspiration to youth worldwide. She aspired to instil motivation in young individuals to devote their time and energy toward realizing their aspirations.
The Virgin Galactic flight was skilfully navigated by pilots CJ Sturckow and Kelly Latimer, aided by astronaut instructor Beth Moses. The VSS Unity parted ways with its carrier plane, the VMS Eve, at an altitude of approximately 44,500 feet, engaging its rocket engines to achieve an upward trajectory lasting about a minute. Internal footage documented the passengers experiencing weightlessness, while external cameras captured the sweeping curvature of the Earth.
Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity safely descended at Spaceport America, greeted by resounding applause from onlookers. This milestone represented the seventh spaceflight by Virgin Galactic since 2018, yet it distinguished itself as the pioneering mission catering to tourists, marking an unprecedented achievement in the realm of commercial space travel.
