Virgin Galactic’s First Space Tourism Flight a Success; 3 Passengers Enjoy Zero Gravity [Watch]

Virgin Galactic just made its first commercial space flight, and it was successful. It carried three passengers onboard and safely returned to Earth.

Virgin Galactic Made History

Virgin Galactic made history by bringing three civilians into space Thursday. Aboard the spacecraft were 80-year-old former Olympian from the United Kingdom, Jon Goodwin, and mother and daughter, Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, respectively. Schahaff won two tickets to join the Virgin Galactic voyage.

Goodwin is the second person with Parkinson's disease to go to space. Meanwhile, Schahaff and Mayers are the first mother-daughter duo to fly to space together. The experience was a first in history as the three passengers were not trained, astronauts but ordinary people.

The spacecraft skyrocketed at three times the speed of light to an altitude of more than 50 miles. They experienced zero gravity during the flight, which Schahaff said: "felt like nothingness." It was reportedly the "most peaceful, surreal moment" for her. She said everything stopped at the time.

Schahaff and Mayers are from Antigua and are the first female Caribbean astronauts. Following the experience, Schahaff hoped that the girls from the island would feel invincible. She hoped they would realize it was okay to dream and even have "crazy dreams."

Goodwin, a former Olympian, brought his ticket for $250,000 in 2005. He waited nearly two decades for the flight, and his wife of 52 years waited for his return after the flight. He said the voyage made him realize he could still go to space despite his Alzheimer's disease.

Looking back at the experience, Schahaff said it was beautiful. She added that she felt a total connection after it. Her daughter, Mayers, said it was "so deep within yourself," like one's feeling of love for someone or something "so truly."

ALSO READ: Virgin Galactic Will Make Final Assessment for Its First Commercial Flight by Launching Next Crewed Spaceflight This Month

Richard Brandson Watch Virgin Galactic's Space Flight

Virgin Galactic's founder Richard Branson joined Mayer and Schahaff's family as they witnessed the historical space flight in Antigua and Barbuda. He shared a clip of them watching the event on Twitter during the flight. In the footage, they can be seen cheering and clapping their hands. In one moment, they were emotional, with Branson laughing and wiping the tears on his face.

In another post, Branson proudly announced that Virgin Galactic flew three private passengers to space, and he congratulated the company, Virgin Galactic, and the first three commercial astronauts, even welcoming them to the club of space voyagers.

At 8:30 local time (15:30 BST), she launched the carrier mothership VMS Eve from Spaceport America in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The Unity rocket ship successfully split from Eve after 50 minutes of flight.

At an altitude of roughly 85km (280,000ft), the passengers were given the all-clear to unbuckle and enjoy the absence of gravity a little while later.

Mayers, a University of Aberdeen second-year philosophy and physics student, rushed for the window immediately to take in Earth's vistas and the darkness of space.

The three returned to their seats and sat down again to prepare for the trip back. After taking off, they returned to Spaceport America just over an hour later.

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