>
One of the greatest days in history has arrived and the first flight for a paying ‘space tourist’ has been launched into space.
Hundreds of tickets have been sold since they were put on sale by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic firm more than a decade ago.
Some buyers have earmarked up to $450,000 for the option to go into sub-orbit.
Six crew members, three of them tourists, made history after launching into orbit from New Mexico.
But who are the crew members aboard the VSS Unity spaceplane? And who are the three tourists among them?
British Olympian Jon Goodwin (center) joins mother and daughter Keisha Schahaff (right) and Anastatia Mayers (left) as the three tourists on VSS Unity this week
VSS Unity (pictured) is Virgin Galactic’s spacecraft used for commercial spaceflight. It first reached space as defined by the US (over 50 miles) in December 2018
Who are Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers?
Two of the tourists who are part of the crew are mother and daughter duo Keisha Schahaff and Anastasia Mayers.
Wellness coach Schahaff and her Aberdeen University student will be the first Caribbean to go into space, according to People. Mayers, 18, also becomes the second youngest person to travel into space.
The youngest person to enter orbit was Oliver Daemen, 18, in July 2021 via the Blue Origin rocket.
Ms. Schahaff was flying from Antigua to London via Virgin Atlantic when an advertisement appeared for a contest for the trip.
She explained shortly after that she entered the Omaze sweepstakes, she received reports that she was in the last 20, then top five and finally the winner of the entire competition.
Mrs. Schahaff told the BBC: ‘Who suddenly walks into my garden? Richard Branson. The whole team just poured into my house and said ‘you’re the winner, you’re going to space’.
The sweepstakes raised $1.7 million for the Space for Humanity charity, which aims to make space more accessible. AfroTech reports.
Ms Mayers, a second-year Philosophy and Physics student, attributed their wonderful luck in receiving the two free tickets – worth up to $450,000 (£350,000) each – to her decision to study in Scotland.
The aspiring astrobiologist said the big move to Aberdeen “led to great things.”
She hopes their support will be for the big event and that it will break down the barriers society has put up for itself.
Schahaff stated, “For me and my daughter together, it’s more than a dream come true.
“This is my child, I love her with all my heart, and to know that we both share the same goal, the same dream, that’s super over the moon.”
Keisha Schahaff, 46, and her 18-year-old daughter Anastasia Mayers (pictured) will become the first ever mother and daughter to travel into space after winning the two tickets worth up to $450,000
After winning the sweepstakes, Ms. Schahaff said that Richard Branson and co flooded her house with that magical phrase ‘You’re the winner, you’re going to space’
Jon Goodwin, 80, will be the second person with Parkinson’s disease to go into space. He becomes the first ever Olympian
Who is Jon Goodwin?
Among the three tourists aboard the historic flight is British Olympian Jon Goodwin. In 1972 he competed as a slalom canoeist in the Olympic Games in Munich.
He will be the first ever Olympian to make the journey into space.
Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, the 80-year-old from Newcastle has been passionate about raising awareness around the disease and researching a cure.
According to Virgin, he will be the second person with Parkinson’s to go into space.
But the otherworldly journey isn’t the only adventurous outing the former Olympian has been on since his diagnosis in 2014.
He said: ‘From becoming an Olympic champion, to canoeing between the peaks of Annapurna, to winning a six-day race in the Arctic Circle, to climbing Kilimanjaro (and cycling back down), I’ve always enjoyed taking on new challenges. to go.’
The father-of-two boys told BBC Breakfast that the feeling of being on the verge of a trip he bought 18 years ago for $250,000 (£194,500) was “completely surreal”, adding that it was the “icing on the cake”. cake’ was of a life full of ‘exciting things’
He explained how he was “grateful” to have been given permission by Virgin Galactic to take part in the flight, as the sportsman feared his diagnosis would prevent him from doing so.
He also added that his wife is “fully supportive” of his adventurous endeavors, while his two children will not find his sub-orbit journey into space unusual.
He said, “It was just to get the chance to do something that few other people have done — more people have climbed Everest than have gone into space.
“So I’m in doubt about certain things, since there’s no toilet on this rocket ship, I’m going to have to start wearing diapers again, I can’t remember the last time I wore a diaper.”
Beth Moses, Frederick Sturckow and Kelly Latimer will be the Virgin Galactic employees accompanying the three tourists
Who else is on the Galactic 02 crew?
Among the three tourists will be an experienced crew. This includes Virgin’s lead astronaut, Beth Moses, who will be on the run.
She became the first woman in history to travel on a commercial spacecraft on the company’s Galactic 01 flight.
She is also responsible for training Schahaff, Mayers and Goodwin for the journey. This will be her fourth sub-orbit trip with Virgin Galactic, she says Space. com.
In the cockpit of the VSS Unity are Pilot Kelly Latimer and Commander Frederick Sturckow – also known as CJ.
Both have several years of experience as pilots for Virgin Galactic and NASA.
Ms. Latimer was part of the cockpit of Virgin Galactic’s 2021 satellite launch. This was the company’s first successful launch of its kind.
She has also been a research pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. In this facility, she spent countless hours flying various aircraft.
Stuckrow is as seasoned as Latimer, with four space shuttle missions already under his belt. He was also a pet of the International Space Station’s first ever shuttle flight – the STS-88.
He had been an astronaut since 1995, but later hung up his uniform and retired in 2013.
But his retirement was short-lived, as the veteran astronaut signed with Virgin Galactic the same year. Like Ms. Moses, he also worked on the Galactic 01 flight.
Speaking of the history-making journey, Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said:
“This flight highlights two of Virgin Galactic’s key ambitions: better access to space and inspiration for people around the world.
“Each of these astronauts are role models and beacons of inspiration in their communities.
“Watching Keisha, Ana and Jon embark on this transformative experience shows that the space is now opening up to a wider and more diverse population around the world.”