Who is the Olympian from Newcastle and the mother-daughter duo onboard Virgin Galactic's first tourism flight?

The first tourist flight of Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity 22 has officially reached orbit, with three passengers aboard officially becoming astronauts in the process. The successful mission launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 3:30pm BST, where the passengers and crew reached an altitude of around 85km (53 miles), allowing for some impressive views of Earth and the deepest, darkest recesses of outer space.

The success of the mission also highlights Sir Richard Branson’s notion that flying into “outer space” should be accessible for everyone, not just those which an incredible amount of wealth - just instead, a vast amount of wealth. However, if you’re anything like the mother and daughter duo on the flight, Keisha Schahaff and Anastasia Mayers, you might just luck out and win a ticket.

Schahaff, originally from Antigua, won two spaceflight seats in a competition organized by Virgin Galactic. She unexpectedly found out about her win when Richard Branson and the team visited her home to deliver the news. Schahaff was in the UK to sort out her daughter's visa when she entered the competition, with Mayers becoming the second youngest commercial space tourist in history.

When asked why going into space was so important to her, Schahaff replied to Virgin Galactic “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.”

Her daughter, in the same statement released by the company, said she hopes to inspire others through her journey and break barriers set by societal expectations. Mayers is focused on demonstrating that individuals can overcome challenges and achieve extraordinary feats, irrespective of any limitations that might be perceived.

Who is the Olympian on board?

That would be Jon Goodwin who participated in the 1972 Olympics as a canoeist. He paid $250,000 for his ticket to ride on the Virgin Galactic flight back in 2005. He becomes the second person suffering from Parkinson’s disease to enter into sub-orbit.

Despite his diagnosis, he aims to prove that his condition does not define him and to inspire others by taking part in spaceflight. This isn’t the only adventure he’s been on to prove that point either.

“From becoming an Olympian to canoeing between the peaks of Annapurna to winning a six-day race in the Arctic Circle, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (and cycling back down), I’ve always enjoyed rising to new challenges,” he admitted to Virgin Galactic in their statement about the first tourists. 

“When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, I was determined not to let it stand in the way of living life to the fullest. And now for me to go to space with Parkinson’s is completely magical. I hope this inspires all others facing adversity and shows them that challenges don’t have to inhibit or stop them from pursuing their dreams.”