In Space, Nobody Can Hear the Hype

Virgin Galactic, the California-based spaceflight subsidiary of archetypal billionaire-cool-guy Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, has made public the identities of the individuals to be borne aloft during the company’s second commercial spaceflight.

The upcoming mission, dubbed Galactic 02, will fly a trio of private passengers to the edge of space, thereby achieving a number of hyped but, in point of fact, trivial milestones, to include:

• The first astronauts from the Caribbean
• The first mother-daughter duo to travel to space
• The first Olympian to travel to space
• The second youngest person to travel to space
• The second person with Parkinson’s to travel to space

Virgin SpaceShip (VSS) Unity will carry eighty-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 the non-profit Space for Humanity.

Virgin Galactic set forth in a press release pertaining to the upcoming Galactic 02 mission: “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. To date, fewer than seven-hundred people have traveled to space, with little diversity among that group. Virgin Galactic’s mission is to change that—beginning with an eight-hundred-strong future astronaut community that represents more than sixty different nations.”

Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier remarked: “This flight highlights two of Virgin Galactic’s core aspirations—increasing access to space and inspiring people around the world. Each of these astronauts are [sic] 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.”

Galactic 02 passenger John Goodwin stated: “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. 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.”

Goodwin’s fellow Galactic 02 passenger Kiesha Schahaff enthused: “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.”

Space for Humanity executive director Rachel Lyons hyperbolically declared: “Beholding Earth from the vantage point of space bestows upon astronauts an awe-inspiring perspective, referred to as the overview effect, that transcends boundaries and unites humanity. It is this transformative perspective that holds one of the keys to tackling our world’s most pressing challenges. At Space For Humanity, our purpose is to grant as many individuals as possible access to this life-altering viewpoint, not only for the betterment of our civilization’s future, but also to confront the urgent needs of our world today. This profound awareness underscores our collective responsibility to treat one another with greater kindness, and to safeguard and cherish our home planet—the irreplaceable cradle of our existence.”

The flight-window for Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 02 mission will open on 10 August. Subject mission, if launched, will be the company’s seventh spaceflight, second commercial spaceflight, and third spaceflight in 2023.

FMI: www.virgingalactic.com