NASA has revealed its $1 billion plan to crash the International Space Station (ISS) back to Earth.

The space agency is set to decommission the orbiting laboratory in 2031 due to stresses on the structure that have accumulated over time.

NASA will pay any company that creates a ‘space-tug’ design, a craft powerful enough to pull the ISS from its orbit and send it toward our planet.

The agency is calling the space tug a US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), which will nudge the ISS from 175 miles above Earth’s surface to about 75 miles, where it will begin its final descent into the Pacific Ocean. 

Proposals are due no later than November 17, and the ISS retirement plan will begin in 2026 when NASA lets the craft start to decay naturally.

The plan’s first step is to let the ship begin to decay and not re-boost it so it stays in orbit.

During this time, the atmospheric drag will reduce the orbit from around 250 miles above the surface to 200 miles.

However, this will take a few years to happen.

In 2030, the crew on the ISS will make the final descent to Earth and bring any crucial equipment.

The ISS will continue to move closer to Earth, reaching the ‘Point of no return’ at 175 miles above the surface.

And this is where the $1 billion space tug will swoop in and give the ISS a little push from orbit.

The station will begin re-entry between 75 miles and 50 miles above the surface.

The external skin of modules will melt away, and then the exposed hardware will vaporize as the ISS soars 18,000 miles per hour through Earth’s atmosphere.

Any of it that survives re-entry will be targeted to fall in Point Nemo, a region of the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and South America often used as a spacecraft graveyard – at least 260 craft have been laid to rest there.

‘The decommissioning plan for the space station is the execution of a responsible, controlled, and targeted deorbit into a remote ocean area,’ NASA shared in a statement.

During descent through the Earth’s atmosphere, the space station would burn, break up, and vaporize into fragments of various sizes. 

‘Some fragments would likely survive the thermal stresses of re-entry. Environmental impacts of these fragments within the anticipated impact area are expected to be small. 

‘To best protect people and property on Earth, the most remote areas of the ocean are targeted.’

President Ronald Regan announced the construction of the ISS during his January 25, 1984 State of the Union Address, noting NASA will have it completed in 10 years.

Then, on December 4, 1998, the first US component of the ship launched, and two years later, it officially began operation.

The station has hosted more than 250 visitors from 20 countries since the first crew arrived in November 2000. 

NASA originally planned to decommission the ISS after 15 years of operation – but that timeline has since been surpassed.

But the massive orbiting laboratory shows wear and tear, forcing NASA to say farewell to its faithful ship.

The station’s safe deorbit is the shared responsibility of the five space agencies — including NASA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), (ESA) European Space Agency, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and the State Space Corporation Roscosmos.

Each is responsible for managing and controlling the hardware it provides.

The station was designed to be interdependent and relies on contributions from across the partnership.

The US, Japan, Canada, and ESA participating countries have committed to operating the station through 2030 and Russia through at least 2028.

NASA said it examined several options for decommissioning the ISS, including disassembly and return to Earth, boosting it to a higher orbit to stay in space or leaving it in orbit to decay until it randomly falls to Earth.

The other options fail because the structure was not designed to be easily disassembled in space, the craft needs to be re-boosted to stay in orbit and allowing it to decay in orbit could pose risks on Earth.

NASA does not want the ISS’s retirement to be the end of its hold over space and has already launched a replacement plant. 

The American space agency does not want to lose access to these benefits when the station ends, so it has launched a transition plan – asking private companies to develop a space station. 

Multiple companies want to operate a commercial station, including Axiom Space, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Northrup Grumman.

‘The International Space Station is entering its third and most productive decade as a groundbreaking scientific platform in microgravity,’ said Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station at NASA Headquarters.

‘This third decade is one of the results, building on our successful global partnership to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in low-Earth orbit.

Reba star Melissa Peterman hosting brand new game show Person, Place Or Thing – set to debut this fall

By Christine Rendon For Dailymail.com

Updated: 13:28 EDT, 3 September 2023

Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon in Greek mythology. 

NASA has chosen her to personify its path back to the moon, which will see astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2025 –  including the first woman and the next man.

Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. 

Artemis 1 will be the first integrated flight test of NASA’s deep space exploration system: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  

Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed flight that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the moon and beyond. 

During this flight, the spacecraft will launch on the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown.

It will travel 280,000 miles (450,600 km) from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the moon over the course of about a three-week mission. 

Orion will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station and return home faster and hotter than ever before. 

With this first exploration mission, NASA is leading the next steps of human exploration into deep space where astronauts will build and begin testing the systems near the moon needed for lunar surface missions and exploration to other destinations farther from Earth, including Mars. 

The will take crew on a different trajectory and test Orion’s critical systems with humans aboard. 

Together, Orion, SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy will be able to meet the most challenging crew and cargo mission needs in deep space.

Eventually NASA seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028 as a result of the Artemis mission.

The space agency hopes this colony will uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy. 

Who is Victor Glover? The man set to become NASA’s first black astronaut to orbit the moon

NASA is set to send the first-ever black astronaut to the moon.

Victor Glover, 46, was selected to take part in the space agency’s Artemis II mission — the US’ first lunar mission in a half-century.

The Pomona, California, native will be the first person of color to travel into deep space, hundreds of thousands of miles beyond the low-Earth orbiting International Space Station (ISS).

NASA officials say the diverse crew assignments signify the cultural shifts that have taken place since the original Apollo missions, which ended in 1972, at a time when white men dominated space exploration.

Glover was also the first black man to ever live on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020 and is among 15 African Americans to be selected as an astronaut.

In his esteemed career since being selected as an astronaut in 2013, Mr Glover has logged over 3,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.

Artemis II – which will launch in November 2024 – will see the four-man crew orbit the moon in the Orion spacecraft but not land.

Their goal is to test new technology, including heat shields that protects Orion as it travels 24,500 mph in 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its way back.

If successful, NASA plans to launch an expedition to land on the moon titled Artemis III. Another success would spell out a trip to Mars for NASA. 

‘I wanna thank God for this Amazing opportunity,’ Mr Glover said during a new conference Monday.

‘This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate. It’s so much more than the four names that have been announced. We need to celebrate this moment in human history.

‘Artermis II is more than a mission to the Moon and back. It’s more than a mission that has to happen before we send people to the surface of the moon. It is the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars.

‘This crew will never forget that.’

Mr Glover was born in 1976 in Pomona, around 30 miles east of Los Angeles.

The city is far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, known for its high poverty rate and relatively high crime. 

He said his parents and teachers served as mentors as him growing up.

‘Early on in life it had to be my parents; they encouraged me and challenged me and held me to high standards. Outside of home, I had teachers that did the same,’ he told USA Today in 2017.

‘They all challenged me, and they encouraged me.’

Mr Glover continued that his teachers and parents urged him to go the engineering school and eventually become a test pilot — leading to him becoming an astronaut. 

He graduated from Southern California’s Ontario High School in 1994, and went on to attend California Polytechnic State University, before completing his graduate education at Air University and the US Naval Academy.

‘I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college, and being at graduation with my mom and my dad and my stepdad and my little brothers and my grandparents,’ he said to USA Today.

‘That was unreal, that was cool and it was special for me.’

In 1999 he was commissioned as part of the US Navy. After completing flight training in Corpus Christy, Texas, he was ‘given his wings’ and awarded the title of pilot in 2001.

He then moved to San Diego to learn to fly the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, known as one of the Navy’s more versatile aircraft.

After spending the next two years training in Florida and Virginia, he was deployed to Iraq in 2004 for six months.

Mr Glover was working in the office of the late Sen John McCain as a legislative fellow when he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in 2013.

NASA only selects a handful of the thousands of people that apply to be a member of the nation’s astronaut corps each year. Only 15 black astronauts have ever been selected out of 348.

A vast majority of the 41 current astronauts have a military background, like Mr Glover.

He completed his astronaut training in 2015. Three years later, he was selected to be a part of the first ever operational flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, a reusable aircraft designed by the firm Elon Musk found in 2002.

As part of that mission, he would live on the ISS from November 17, 2020 to May 2, 2021.

The nearly six-month-long stay on the station makes him the first black astronaut to inhabit it.

Jeanette Epps, 52, who was selected to be an astronaut in 2009 is set to become the second African American, and first black woman, to live on the ISS after the launch of Boeing Starliner-1 in 2024 or later.

In 2020, Mr Glover said it was an honor to be the first black person selected to the ISS.

‘It is something to be celebrated once we accomplish it, and I am honored to be in this position and to be a part of this great and experienced crew,’ he said during a news conference. 

‘I look forward to getting up there and doing my best to make sure, you know, we are worthy of all the work that’s been put into setting us up for this mission.’

In an interview with The Christian Chronicle later that year, he said there were qualified black astronauts that should have earned the honor before him.

‘I’ve had some amazing colleagues before me that really could have done it, and there are some amazing folks that will go behind me,’ he said. 

‘I wish it would have already been done, but I try not to draw too much attention to it.’ 

Who is Christina Koch? The first female NASA astronaut set to orbit the moon

Christina Koch is set to become the first woman to go around the moon when NASA‘s Artemis II mission takes off next year.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan native, 44, is already the record-holder for the longest amount of time a woman has spent in space, 328 days, and for taking part in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.

Selected to become an astronaut in 2013, Ms Koch said she has not followed a ‘checklist’ in order to become an astronaut — but instead chased her passions whether this be rock climbing, sailing or even learning to surf in her 40s.

She said in 2020: ‘I really don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an astronaut. 

‘For me, I learned that if I was going to be an astronaut, it was because my passions had turned me into someone that could contribute the most as someone contributing to human space flight.’

While she’s exploring space, her husband Robert will be left taking care of housework and the couple’s puppy, LBD. It is not believed that they have children.

‘Am I excited? Absolutely!’ she said at a news conference at the crew’s announcement Monday.

‘The one thing I’m most excited about is that we will carry your excitement,your aspirations, your dreams, on this mission.’

She also said: ‘We are going to launch from Kennedy space center, we are going to here the words “go for launch” on top of the most powerful rocket NASA’s ever made.’

NASA has sent a total of 355 people to space so far, of which some 55 have been women — or 15 percent. It has also sent 24 people to orbit the moon and 12 to walk on the lunar surface who were all men.

Russian Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to ever leave the earth’s atmosphere — setting off in 1937. American women did not get sent to space until 1983.

Ms Koch, however, will make history on the Artemis II mission when she completes her long-awaited trip around the moon.

She revealed her love of space in a video when she was announced as a member of the Artemis I team in 2020.

The astronaut said: ‘I am someone who has loved exploration on the frontier since I was little. 

‘I used to be inspired by the night sky and throughout my career,  it’s been this balance between engineering for space science missions and doing science in really remote places all over the world.

‘I loved things that made me feel small, things that made me ponder the size of the universe, my place in it and everything that was out there to explore.’

She added: ‘I didn’t necessarily live my life following check boxes of how you could become an astronaut.

‘But I followed those passions and one day I looked at what I had become and the skills I had gathered and I asked “could I sit across from a table and present myself as someone who could do this well?”. And I thought, I’m going to give this a shot.’ 

She went to North Carolina State University in Raleigh to get a bachelor’s and a master’s in Electrical Engineering.

She then became an Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, before becoming a research associate for the United States Antarctic Program — living an entire year in the Arctic.

Ms Koch was one of eight selected as part of NASA’s 21st class of astronauts in 2013. After two years of training, she became a full-fledged astronaut.

Her first space flight came in 2019 when she was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to work as a flight engineer.

She stayed up there for 328 days, taking the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. The previous record holder, Peggy Whitson, was in space for 288 days.

While in space she also took the record for the first all-women space walk — when an astronaut gets out of a vehicle while in space — with Jessica Meir.

The pair spent seven hours and 17 minutes on the side of the ISS as they worked to replace a power controller. The walk also included a brief call with President Trump.

Upon her return to Earth in 2020, Ms Koch said she felt ‘like a baby’ who was two weeks old and working hard to hold up its head.

Back on Earth, she lives in Galveston, Texas, just outside of the Houston area.

Among her interests are backpacking, running, yoga, photography and travel.

Now she will be a part of a groundbreaking mission in NASA’s goal towards putting a man on Mars. 

The Artemis II mission marks NASA’s first trip to the moon in half a century. It says it will be performed to help test kit in preparation for getting humans onto Mars.

The agency sent an empty Orion capsule around the moon last year before it returned to Earth in a long-awaited dress rehearsal.

If this latest mission goes well, then another flight to land people on the moon will be sent in 2025 — as part of tests ahead of getting people onto Mars.

With NASA aiming to return humans to the moon later this decade and perhaps send people to Mars in the 2030s, a lot of thought will have to go into how humans might survive long-distance space travel.

But what if the unthinkable happens and someone dies? 

In six decades of human spaceflight a total of 20 people have perished – 14 in NASA’s space shuttle tragedies of 1986 and 2003, three cosmonauts during the 1971 Soyuz 11 mission, and three astronauts in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire in 1967.

However, none of those were actually killed in space itself.

NASA does not have set protocols for dealing with death in space, but researchers around the world have put forward how such a tragedy could be dealt with.

First of all, it’s important to point out that there’s a number of ways space can kill you.

Chief among them is being exposed to the vacuum of space without a pressurised suit as protection, perhaps because of damage to the garment or some unexpected failure with a spacecraft that leaves an astronaut exposed to the cosmos. 

Canadian astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) Chris Hadfield gives an example. 

‘In the worst case scenario, something happens during a spacewalk,’ he said.

‘You could suddenly be struck by a micro-meteorite, and there’s nothing you can do about that. 

‘It could puncture a hole in your suit, and within a few seconds you’re incapacitated.’

Being exposed to the vacuum of space would make it impossible for a person to breathe and would lead to the boiling of their blood and other bodily fluids, according to Emmanuel Urquieta, a professor of space medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine.

The astronaut would probably have just 15 seconds before they lost consciousness, making asphyxiation or decompression the most likely cause of death. 

That’s because in around 10 seconds the water in their skin and blood would vaporise, causing the body to expand like a balloon being filled with air and lead to the collapse of their lungs.

Within 30 seconds the astronaut would be paralysed, if not already dead.

Whether or not you held your breath would also make a difference to how quickly you perished.

If you did, the air in your lungs would expand, rupture your lungs, and kill you pretty quickly. If you didn’t, you could remain conscious for up to two minutes.

So if the worst happened, what would then happen to the body?

Well, it wouldn’t freeze instantly.

In a vacuum, the only way to lose heat is by the evaporation of fluid or by radiation, which happens very slowly for a relatively cool object like a human body.

Eventually, however, it would enter a frozen, mummified state where it would then sail through the cosmos for millions of years until it perhaps one day encountered another planet or star and was destroyed by the heat or radiation. 

What if your body could be recovered, however? 

Experts say it would likely be brought back to Earth if a death occurred on a short mission to places like the ISS or the moon.

But on a round trip to Mars that would not be immediately possible because a crew might be millions of miles away when it happened.

Instead, the body could possibly be frozen in the cold of space to reduce its weight and make it easier to store on its way back to our planet, according to Professor Christopher Newman and Professor Nick Caplan of Northumbria University.

Or it would have to be preserved in a specialised body bag, according to Professor Urquieta.

He said cremation would not be possible on the Red Planet because it ‘requires too much energy that the surviving crew needs for other purposes’.

Burial also isn’t an option because of bacteria and other organisms from the human remains could contaminate Mars. 

NASA actually has strict laws about contaminating other planets with Earth microbes, according to Catherine Conley of NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection.

She said they would all have to be killed, which brings cremation back into play, but the most likely outcome would be to preserve the body on the spacecraft until it could be brought back to Earth. 

So how would a death on Mars or the moon differ to it happening en-route to such a destination?

Well, it would be a very similar outcome if an astronaut had no spacesuit to protect them. 

That’s because our lunar satellite has almost no atmosphere at all and Mars a very thin one with next to no oxygen.

There’s also the danger of radiation.  

Previous data of the Red Plant suggests it is hit with 700 times the radiation experienced on Earth.

Radiation can alter the cardiovascular system, damaging the heart, harden and narrow arteries, or eliminate some of the cells in linings of the blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular disease and maybe end with death.

All of these factors will have to be considered if and when any future human mission to Mars is attempted.

For now, however, NASA is focusing on returning human boots to the moon by 2025 as part of its Artemis programme. 

• Crater spans 520km in diameter
• Buried deep underneath Deniliquin, NSW
• Crater linked to Late Ordovician extinction event

By Antoinette Milienos For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:10 EDT, 16 August 2023 | Updated: 23:14 EDT, 16 August 2023

The first mother-daughter duo to go to space have told DailyMail.com that they feel more grounded and connected to Earth after venturing to the final frontier.

Keisha Schahaff, 46 and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, 18, from Antigua, made the comments hours after being part of Virgin Galactic‘s first space tourist flight.

‘This experience has grounded me. Awoken me,’ Mayers said when asked what was next for the crew after the incredible mission.

‘I feel more connected to Earth and motivated to explore and be even more adventurous. For me, in the future, it will just be adventure and searching for the most incredible experiences.’

Schahaff and her daughter won their seats on the rocket-powered space plane, which would normally cost $450,000 per person, in a fundraising drawing.

‘Obviously, nothing will top this,’ Mayers concluded after the flight. Though the teenager, who is now the second youngest person ever to go to space, revealed how she had ‘second thoughts’ about whether she wanted to do it last night.

The mother and daughter were also joined by Jon Goodwin, 80, who is now the first Olympian and the second person with Parkinson’s in space.

It was a long time coming for Goodwin, who paid $250,000 for his seat back in 2005.

Mayers is in her second year at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, studying Philosophy and Physics to become an astrobiologist.

She told reporters about her feelings of uncertainty about the spaceflight Wednesday evening. 

‘Last night, second thoughts, but then I woke up and felt like I was ready,’ said Mayers.

Schaffaf also felt motivated after the spaceflight.

‘I am going to make a strong impact to motivate younger ones,’ she said reponding to DailyMail.com’s question.

‘This experience has given me this beautiful feeling that if I can do this, I can do anything. I am going to take the next step and see what comes.’

Goodwin also spoke to reporters after the historic mission, sharing how his Parkinson’s has not stopped him from living his life. He was diagnosed in 2014.

‘The nicest thing for me was the acceptance by Virgin Galactic because when I signed up in September 2005, I did not have Parkinson’s.

‘Nine years ago, I thought that was the end of me going to space. They have done various health checks and everything else over the years, which never stopped me from doing what I wanted.

‘I am hoping I instill in people around the world, as well as people with Parkinson’s,  that it doesn’t stop you from doing things if you have some illness that has inflicted you.’

Schahaff and her daughter won their seats in a drawing that raised $1.7 million in grants for Space for Humanity, a nonprofit aimed at expanding access to space.

After learning Richard Branson gifted her a seat, she called Mayers on the phone: ‘Now that you’re 18, you are going to space.’

‘It is a childhood dream come true,’ Schahaff told reporters upon landing. ‘I’ve been to space and back with my daughter. And if anyone is wondering, the Earth is round.’

Schahaff is a health and wellness coach specializing in helping women achieve balance through healthy eating, energy work, and a variety of empowering wellness practices, according to her website.

The flight was historic for several reasons. Schahaff and her daughter were the first Antiguans to go to space. 

For Virgin Galactic, this is the first time a commercial crew of passengers who were not trained had left the Earth’s atmosphere – an ambition of the Richard Branson-founded company that has been decades in the making.

And Goodwin, a  former canoeist, became only the second person in history with Parkinson’s to go to space. 

Goodwin, from Newcastle in northern England, secured his seat as the company’s first paying customer 18 years ago.

Goodwin’s son David told DailyMail.com on the runway this morning that his father’s spaceflight has been a long time coming.

And when asked how his father is the first Olympian and second oldest and individual with Parkinson’s, David said: ‘My father likes to tick a lot of boxes.’

Goodwin is a retired slalom canoeist, has been a regular and leading competitor in the Ferrari Hillclimb Championship since 1992, winning in 2000 and 2008, and has more Class wins than any other competitor – as of the end of the 2020 season.

He is married to Pauline, who also competed in the Olympic games in 1972 and 1976. She was in New Mexico cheering her husband, son David, grandson and daughter-in-law Lily.

The crew took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 8:30am MT, strapped inside Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane, Unity, which was attached to the underbelly of the mothership, Eve.

The planes soared to more than 44,000 feet above Earth’s surface, allowing Unity to separate by igniting its thrusters.

Unity took off, climbing to 50 miles above the surface and hovered in place to let the passengers experience zero gravity and see the incredible views of our planet.

Goodwin, from Newcastle, England, described being a passenger on Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight as ‘completely surreal’ and ‘very moving.’ 

‘It was far more dramatic than I imagined it would be. It was the pure acceleration – Mach 3 in eight-and-a-half seconds – (that) was completely surreal, and the re-entry was a lot more dramatic than I imagined.

‘In fact, I would’ve said it was out of control if I didn’t know anything different. But it was a completely surreal experience.

‘The most impressive thing was looking at Earth from space – the pure clarity was very moving. Without a doubt, the most exciting day in my life.’

Goodwin added the flight ‘exceeded [his] wildest dreams’ and hoped it would inspire others with Parkinson’s to do things out of the ordinary.

Schahaff won a place on the flight alongside her daughter.

The pair became the first astronauts from the Caribbean and were part of the first flight dominated by women.

‘I’m still up there, I’m not here yet, and it’s just amazing that you can land so smoothly on the runway coming back from space, Schahaff said:

‘It was so comfortable, it was really the best ride ever, and I would love to do this again.’

She said that sand from her home country of Antigua and Barbuda, the nation’s flag and her favorite shell were among the possessions she took with her on the Virgin Galactic flight.

Mayers took a ring given to her by her boyfriend and pictures of loved ones.

Goodwin reached in his pocket, pulling out jewelry from his wife Pauline, a former Olympian.

Pauline was at Spaceport Thursday to cheer on her husband, her son, grandson and daughter-in-law. 

Virgin Galactic’s first private customer flight had been delayed for years, but Thursday’s mission means Richard Branson’s company can now start offering monthly rides, joining Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism business. 

Virgin Galactic‘s first commercial space flight took off from New Mexico today and successfully carried three passengers to the edge of the cosmos.

The company’s rocket-powered space plane, VSS Unity, carried three customers – a mother and daughter from Antigua who won their seats in a fundraising drawing and an 80-year-old former British Olympian who paid $250,000 for his seat in 2005.

The historic flight took off from at Virgin Galactic’s spaceport in New Mexico at 10.30am ET, where the passengers boarded VSS Unity as it sat attached beneath the wing of a massive twin-fuselage mothership called VMS Eve.

The takeoff was like any other airplane takeoff, with the mothership speeding down a runway before ascending to more than 40,000 feet. At that point, VMS Eve released the spaceship, which fired its rocket engine and continued its ascent to more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

As the crew reached the edge of space, one crew member gave a cool thumbs up to the camera before everyone unbuckled their seatbelts and floated around in zero gravity.

The team then huddled around the ship’s windows in awe and took in our planet’s views for a few minutes before re-entry into the atmosphere. All in, the mission lasted an hour.

The flight was historic for several reasons. Keisha Schahaff, 46 and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, 18, were the first Antiguans to go to space.

Former canoeist Jon Goodwin is the first Olympian to become an astronaut and only the second person in history with Parkinson’s to go to space.

For Virgin Galactic, this is the first time a commercial crew of passengers who were not trained had left the Earth’s atmosphere – an ambition of the Richard Branson-founded company’s that has been decades in the making.

Schahaff and her daughter won their seats in a drawing that raised $1.7 million in grants for Space for Humanity, a nonprofit aimed at expanding access to space.

After learning Richard Branson gifted her a seat, she called Mayers on the phone: ‘Now that you’re 18, you are going to space.’

‘It is a childhood dream come true,’ Schahaff told reporters upon landind. ‘I’ve been to space and back with my daughter. And if anyone is wondering, the Earth is round.’ 

Schahaff is a health and wellness coach specializing in helping women achieve balance through healthy eating, energy work, and a variety of empowering wellness practices, according to her website. 

Mayers, the second youngest person to travel to space, is one of Schahaff’s two daughters.

She is in her second year at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, studying Philosophy and Physics to become an astrobiologist.

But Goodwin, from Newcastle in northern England, secured his seat as the company’s first paying customer 18 years ago.

Goodwin’s son David told DailyMail.com on the runway this morning that his father’s spaceflight has been a long time coming.

And when asked how his father is the first Olympian and second oldest and individual with Parkinson’s, David said: ‘My father likes to tick a lot of boxes.’ 

Goodwin is a retired slalom canoeist, has been a regular and leading competitor in the Ferrari Hillclimb Championship since 1992, winning in 2000 and 2008, and has more Class wins than any other competitor – as of the end of the 2020 season.

He is married to Pauline, who also competed in the Olympic games in 1972 and 1976. She was in New Mexico cheering her husband, son David, grandson and daughter-in-law Lily.

When Goodwin stepped out of the spaceplane and back on the ground, Pauline ran over to hug him. 

The former Olympian also spent his life as a daredevil, winning races in the Arctic Circle and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Goodwin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014 and has since been dedicated to raising awareness for the disease and the importance of research into finding a cure – and hopes that taking part in this mission will help shine a spotlight on the condition.

Virgin Galactic has already booked a backlog of 800 customers vying for their chance to go to space, which was made possible by the company’s inaugural mission in June.

Tickets were sold for $250,000 but have since increased to $450,000.

The crew took off from the hangar in sleek Rang Rover vehicles and headed to the launch pad less than one mile away to where Unity and Eve, the mothership, had been waiting.

DailyMail.com witnessed Eve and Unity pilot down the runway at 10:30 am ET, taking off into the blue sky over New Mexico. 

Once the planes reached the target altitude, Unity ignited its thrusters that left trails of white smoke behind as it climbed mile-by-mile until it disappeared from view.

At the apex of the flight, the spaceplane ‘feathered’ its wings open and hovered above our planet’s atmosphere, allowing the crew to experience weightlessness and incredible views of the final frontier for a few minutes.

Unity was specifically designed to reach the boundary of space as defined by the US Air Force and NASA by going over 50 miles above sea level. 

The spaceplane features 17 windows that provide passengers with an incredible view of planet Earth as they float by for a few precious minutes.

Once VSS Unity re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, it glided back to the runway it took off from, allowing passengers to greet their families again.

When the new astronauts returned to Earth, all three raved about the incredible moment in space.

‘I have no words. The only thought I had the entire time was wow,’ Mayers told reporters. 

The mission, ‘dubbed Galactic 02,’ is another milestone for spaceflight, allowing civilians to experience what was once only a dream for them.

Three Virgin Galactic employees also took flight Thursday: Commander Frederick Sturckow, Pilot Kelly Latimer and Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses. 

Galactic 02 follows Galactic 01, which successfully reached orbit at the end of June.

Virgin Galactic has referred to Galactic 01 as the firm’s first ‘commercial flight,’ but it was a research mission, and no paying customers were aboard.

Galactic 01 carried astronauts from the Italian Air Force, the Italian National Research Council, and the Virgin Galactic crew 52.9 miles above Earth.

Branson himself made the same trip along with five crewmates in July 2021 – which the founder called an ‘experience of a lifetime.’

The billionaire, who was 70 then, became the second oldest person to travel to space after 77-year-old John Glenn in 1998.

Virgin Galactic plans monthly flights to space after the Galactic 02 launch to ensure paying customers get their reward as soon as possible.

The firm is yet to reveal who will fly on Galactic 03 or when exactly it will happen, as a lot depends on the success of today’s launch.

Office space firm CLS slips to a loss as interest rate rises hit valuations

• The company reported a £106.4m pre-tax loss for the six months ending June
• Higher net rental income was offset by the falling value of its property portfolio

By Harry Wise

Published: 09:06 EDT, 9 August 2023 | Updated: 11:43 EDT, 9 August 2023

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A mother and daughter from the Caribbean and an 80-year-old Olympian with Parkinson’s are set to become Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism crew.

The Richard Branson-founded company announced the trio Monday, who will soar to the final frontier on August 10.

Among the members are Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, who won their seats in a 2021 contest and Jon Goodwin, who participated in the 1972 Munich Games.

The launch is planned for August 10 at Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America in New Mexico and will see the ‘mothership’ carrier plane take off with the spaceplane attached to its underbelly.

Once the planes reach at least 45,000 feet, the rocket plane will separate and travel more than 50 miles above Earth’s surface.

Virgin Galactic has already booked a backlog of 800 customers vying for their chance to go to space, which was made possible by the company’s inaugural mission in June.

Tickets were first sold for $250,000 but has since increased to $450,000. 

The company announced Galactic 02 on July 13 but did not reveal the customers who will board the spaceplane VSS Unity.

Virgin Galactic did send three researchers in June who spent the time in zero-gravity conducting research – August’s mission is purely for enjoyment. 

DailyMail.com takes a look at each of the three members on board the upcoming flight.

Keisha Schahaff

Schahaff, from Antigua, won a sweepstakes with Omaze, an American for-profit fundraising company, for a once-in-a-lifetime commercial trip to the final frontier aboard Virgin Galactic’s Unity.

The sweepstakes kicked off in July following Virgin Galactic’s historic mission that took Branson to space and finished on September 1.

Branson surprised Schahaff at her home in the Caribbean to personally award her the two seats.

Schahaff is a health and wellness coach specializing in helping women achieve balance through healthy eating, energy work, and a variety of empowering wellness practices, according to her website.

She also reveals on the site that she suffered from depression and set out on a journey for self-healing, and after overcoming the ailments, she embarked on a mission to help other women.

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,’ Schahaff said in a Monday statement.

‘The fact that I am here, the first to travel to space from Antigua, shows that space really is becoming more accessible. 

‘I know my experience will change me, and I hope I can share that energy and inspire the people around me – in my role as a life coach, a mother, and an ambassador for our beautiful planet.’

Anastasia Mayers

Mayers, the second youngest person to travel to space, is one of Schahaff’s two daughters.

She is in her second year at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, studying Philosophy and Physics. 

Mayers is set on becoming an astrobiologist who thought living on the small island impossible until her mother won the tickets aboard Unity.

Jon Goodwin

Goodwin, from Great Britain, is an adventurer and the first Olympian to travel to space, having competed in the 1972 Munich Games.

He is a retired slalom canoeist, has been a regular and leading competitor in the Ferrari Hillclimb Championship since 1992, winning in 2000 and 2008, and has more Class wins than any other competitor – as of the end of the 2020 season.

Goodwin is married to Pauline, who also competed in the Olympic games in 1972 and 1976.

He also spent his life as a daredevil, winning races in the Arctic Circle and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Goodwin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014 and has since been dedicated to raising awareness for the disease and the importance of research into finding a cure – and hopes that taking part in this mission will help shine a spotlight on the condition.

He has been vying for space for nearly a decade and almost gave up after receiving his diagnosis, thinking Virgin Galactic would not accept him – but that was not the case. 

‘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. I hope this inspires all others facing adversity,’ Goodwin shared in a statement Monday.

How Galactic 02 will take off

The crew will board Unity, attached to the mothership Eve, which will shoot down the runway and take off toward the skies.

Unity will then ignite its thruster and shut off once it reaches space.

At the apex of the flight, the spaceplane is expected to ‘feather’ its wings open and hover above our planet’s atmosphere, allowing the crew to experience weightlessness and epic views of the final frontier for a few minutes.

Musk’s SpaceX and Bezos’ Blue Origin use rockets to launch capsules into space, while Branson chose to take a different approach with mid-air launches.

Branson’s technique has been explored over several decades of flight research, including the X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier, and the X-15, the fastest-piloted aircraft ever flown, topping out at 4,520 miles an hour during a 1967 flight.

And it reduces the need for massive amounts of fuel since the craft is not using force from the rocket to crawl through the dense lower atmosphere.

A mother who is set to make history by flying to space on Virgin Galactic’s first official tourism flight with her daughter has revealed how she will be fulfilling a life-long dream. 

Keisha Schahaff, 46, and her 18-year-old daughter Anastatia Mayers, will be the first mother and daughter ever to make a trip to space after winning two coveted places worth $900,000 in a prize draw.

The duo – who will also make their mark as the first astronauts from the Caribbean – are set to board VSS Unity at the New Mexico launch site for a 90-minute trip into space on August 10. 

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Keisha says going to space is a dream she has had since the ‘tender age of two’ and in the run up to her big day she has been ‘savoring every moment, processing the experience, and diligently preparing for the incredible space journey ahead.’

Detailing how her fascination with space began, the Antiguan said: ‘As a two-year-old I was fascinated by the stars, gazing up at the night sky, and dreaming of venturing into space. 

‘As I grew older, my interest in space exploration only intensified, and I aspired to become an astronaut. However, the reality of not having any avenues in my country or the Caribbean to pursue this dream left me feeling unsure. 

‘Nonetheless, my passion for life and the wonders of creation remained steadfast. Anything related to space ignited my curiosity. I devoured magazines, watched sci-fi movies, and delved into space-related videos.’

In a bid to live out her dreams, Keisha entered a lottery draw for two seats with Virgin Galactic on a Virgin flight from Antigua to London in 2021 and to her amazement, she later learned she was a prize winner. To top things off, she even received a surprise visit from Richard Branson. 

She was originally planning to take a friend but she had just had a baby, so her daughter jumped at the chance instead. 

With the countdown for their out-of-this-world adventure now on, Keisha and Anastatia are currently participating in Virgin Galactic’s ‘Readiness Journey Program’ which covers everything from how spaceflights work to physical and psychological preparation. 

While Virgin Galactic employs rigorous safety protocols and precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its crew and passengers, there are still risks involved with a developing and currently unregulated industry.

During one of Virgin Galactic’s test flights on October 31, 2014, a pilot was killed and another injured as the SpaceShipTwo space tourism craft crashed in the California desert.

However, much has been done since then to prevent such an incident from happening again and the Virgin Space Ship Unity features various safety upgrades.

It ventured on its first flight on June 29, but without paying customers onboard.

It instead carried three crewmembers of the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy with one astronaut instructor from Virgin Galactic.

Virgin Galactic’s first flight launched shortly after the doomed OceanGate submersible expedition, which took the lives of five explorers including Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.

While the incident raised concerns around extreme adventure tourism, Keisha told DailyMail.com that the tragic event hasn’t made her nervous about her upcoming trip to space and she is ‘completely elated.’ 

The mom-of-two, who works as a health and wellness coach, said: ‘This dream has been ingrained in me for as long as I can remember, and having it come true feels absolutely priceless. 

‘What makes it even more extraordinary is that I have the chance to represent my beloved country, Antigua and Barbuda, and pave the way for our nation and community as the first astronauts. 

‘Being able to open doors for others to follow their dreams of becoming astronauts is truly amazing and fills my heart with pride and gratitude.

‘The prospect of looking back at our beautiful planet from above and experiencing the profound “overview effect” fills me with excitement. 

‘I can’t wait to float amongst the stars and experience the weightlessness of zero gravity.’

Keisha says that prepping for her space mission with Virgin Galactic alongside her daughter has been a bonding experience and they have become closer over the past couple of years. 

She explained: ‘My daughter and I have always had a close bond, but this experience has brought us even closer. The joy of sharing this remarkable journey together has amplified our excitement and gratitude. 

‘We constantly inspire and support each other, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have her by my side. As a mother, I couldn’t be prouder and happier. 

‘This adventure has strengthened our connection in ways I never imagined possible.’ 

The mother-daughter duo will be traveling into space alongside 80-year-old Jon Goodwin from Newcastle in the UK.

The Brit will make history as the first Olympian to travel to space, having competed in the 1972 Munich Games as a canoeist.

He will also be the second person with Parkinson’s to go to space after being diagnosed with the condition in 2014. 

He has been vying for space for nearly a decade and almost gave up after receiving his diagnosis, thinking Virgin Galactic would not accept him – but that was not the case. 

Like Jon, Keisha and Anastatia’s family and friends will be watching them on their big day. 

Keisha says her husband has been extremely supportive since she won the Virgin Galactic tickets and at first he thought the whole thing was a prank. 

However now he is ‘super excited and proud.’

While the Antiguan hopes her trip will inspire others to peruse their dreams no matter what their age, she is hopeful that it will also encourage her daughter – who is studying physics in Aberdeen – to pursue a career in space.

She concluded: ‘It’s even more remarkable because this opportunity aligns with her aspiration to become an astrobiologist and understand how life can exist beyond Earth, allowing both our dreams to intertwine and manifest simultaneously. 

‘As a part of the younger generation, she holds the potential to make significant contributions to the field.’