Women from Antigua and Barbuda Secure $900,000 Virgin Galactic Flight Tickets Through Omaze Competition
In an exciting turn of events, Keisha Schahaff and her daughter from Antigua and Barbuda are set to make history as the first born-and-bred Caribbean Islanders to travel to space. This remarkable achievement is the result of a sweepstake organized by Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson.
Keisha Schahaff, a health and energy coach, expressed her desire to bring the flag of Antigua and Barbuda to space with her. Her hope is that she and her daughter can be an inspiration for women and girls everywhere, encouraging them to dream big and reach for the stars.
The Schahaffs shared their excitement about the spaceflight experience, describing it as an incredible dream come true for their family. They are scheduled to embark on this journey in a future Virgin Galactic commercial spaceflight.
It's important to note that while Justin Sun, a China-born billionaire with citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis, recently made history by traveling to space, he was not born in the Caribbean. Therefore, the Schahaffs could potentially be the first native-born Caribbean Islanders to travel to space.
The sweepstake attracted 164,338 hopeful space cadets worldwide, with the Schahaffs emerging as the lucky winners. The digital fundraising platform Omaze, based in Los Angeles, partnered with Virgin Galactic for this sweepstake, raising $1.7 million for the non-profit organization Space for Humanity, which is dedicated to expanding access to space for all of humanity.
Meanwhile, the space tourism industry has been making strides. Elon Musk's SpaceX launched a four-person, all-civilian crew into orbit, significantly higher than both Branson's and Bezos' suborbital flights. Virgin Galactic aims to begin the first commercial launches next year.
Just nine days after Branson's historic flight, Jeff Bezos went 16 miles higher above the earth's surface on a similar mission. Three months later, William Shatner, at the age of 90, became the oldest person to travel to space, also courtesy of Bezos' spacecraft.
As for Keisha Schahaff's daughter, she is studying STEM and aspires to work at NASA, following in her mother's footsteps and reaching for the stars.
This groundbreaking achievement by the Schahaffs marks a significant milestone for the Caribbean region and inspires hope for a future where more people from diverse backgrounds can explore the final frontier.
With Keisha Schahaff's upcoming space voyage, the Schahaff duo aims to integrate science, technology, and space-and-astronomy, setting an inspiring example for women and girls in Antigua and Barbuda and beyond. The Schahaffs' spaceflight experience, made possible through their win in Virgin Galactic's sweepstake, exemplifies the potential of space-related technology to bridge global gaps and promote inclusivity in the space-and-astronomy field.
