Caribbean women first mother and daughter to travel to space together

A mother and daughter from Antigua and Barbuda will be the first in space this week when they join Virgin Galactic 02, the second commercial spaceflight from Richard Branson’s exploration company.

The pair won a competition with the commercial space flight company, according to ABC News. 

The network reported on Monday that the mission will take off from New Mexico on Thursday. 

Anastatia Mayers and Keisha Schahaff will also be the first people from the Caribbean in space. 

At 18 years old, university student Anastatia Mayers is the second youngest astronaut to go to space, ABC News said.

Virgin Galactic said Mayers was born and raised in Antigua and Barbuda.

It said Schahaff, Mayers’ mother, is a 46-year-old mother of two daughters, and that she is an entrepreneur and health and wellness coach.

Virgin Galactic said she won the seats on the flight through a competition aiming to “send more diverse humans to space and change perspectives”. 

Virgin Galactic said Schahaff is the beneficiary of two spaceflight seats in a historic draw which raised US$1.7 million in grants for non-profit Space for Humanity.

The Antigua woman said in a video on the Virgin Galactic website that she was on a plane with her daughter to the UK when she entered. 

“I was flying with my daughter when an ad popped up,” she said. “‘Would you like to be an astronaut, would you like to go to space? “And I said ‘yes’”.

When she found out she won, Schahaff said she immediately chose her daughter as her mission companion, according to ABC News. 

“When I was asked the question, ‘I won two seats, who’s coming with me?’ Anna looked at me and she says, ‘Mum if anyone’s going to space with you it should be me,’” she said. 

Mayers is studying philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. 

“I want to be an astrobiologist but that seemed so impossible,” she said. “There’s so many other people like me who want to do something involving space and don’t think they have the opportunity to do that. 

“I’m proud to be part of this mission and how it will expand access for more people,” Mayers added. 

The mother and daughter will be joined by Jon Goodwin, a former Olympic canoeist and the second person to go to space with Parkinson’s disease, ABC News reported.  

Virgin Galactic said Goodwin, who  competed in the 1972 Munich games, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014. 

He will be only the second person to travel to space with the condition, Virgin Galactic said.

ABC News said the advertised price for the flight is as high as US$683,000 per person, and that it’s the second commercial flight by the company. The first happened in June and reached an altitude of about 85km. 

Virgin Galactic also said it will be the company’s seventh spaceflight

It said Galactic 02 will fly three private passengers to space, “achieving several historical milestones and furthering Virgin Galactic’s mission of broadening access to space. 

“VSS Unity will carry 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, Olympian and early Virgin Galactic ticket holder, as well as Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, a Caribbean mother-daughter duo who won their seats in a draw that raised funds for non-profit Space for Humanity,” Virgin Galactic said. 

“The dynamic and multi-national crew highlights the role the commercial space industry can play in removing barriers that once existed to becoming an astronaut,” it added. 

To date, Virgin Galactic said fewer than 700 people have traveled to space, with little diversity among that group. 

“Virgin Galactic’s mission is to change that – beginning with an 800 strong Future Astronaut community that represents more than 60 different nations,” it said. 

“This flight highlights two of Virgin Galactic’s core aspirations – increasing access to space and inspiring people around the world,” it added. “Each of these astronauts are role models and beacons of inspiration in their communities. 

“Watching Keisha, Ana and Jon embark on this transformative experience helps demonstrate that space is now opening to a broader and more diverse population across the globe,” it continued.