Keisha Schahaff and her 18-year-old daughter, Anastatia, who are from the Caribbean island of Antigua, are set to make history as they join Virgin Galactic’s second commercial space flight in August 2023.
The two earned their spots on the flight through a draw that raised $1.7 million for the non-profit organization Space for Humanity dedicated to expanding space accessibility.
For Keisha, who is a wellness coach, it will be the fulfillment of her childhood dream to reach the skies.
“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,” she said, according to People. “The fact that I am here, the first to travel to space from Antigua, shows that space really is becoming more accessible.”
Keisha will be joined by her daughter, Anastatia, who is currently a second-year college student studying philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. At 18 years old, she will become the second-youngest person to journey to space.
Virgin Galactic has already sold approximately 800 tickets for these flights, with prices ranging from $250,000 to $450,000. This milestone journey promises to be a life-changing experience for both of them who will make history as the first mother-daughter duo and the first Caribbeans to travel to space together.