: Virgin Galactic names passengers for first private astronaut flight

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. SPCE has named the three passengers for its first flight to take private astronauts to space. The VSS Unity spacecraft will transport 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, an early Virgin Galactic ticket holder and Olympian, as well as Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, a mother-and-daughter who won their seats on the mission in a draw that raised funds for non-profit Space for Humanity. Schahaff and Mayers are the first mother-daughter duo to fly to space and the first astronauts from the Caribbean, according to Virgin Galactic. Goodwin, who competed as a canoeist for Great Britain at the 1972 Munich Olympics, is the first Olympian and the second person with Parkinson’s disease to go to space, Virgin Galactic said, in a statement. “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,” said Goodwin, in the statement. “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.” Virgin Galactic is targeting Aug. 10 for the Galactic 02 mission, which is its second commercial spaceflight and seventh spaceflight. Last month, the Galactic 01 mission transported three crew members from the Italian air force and the National Research Council of Italy into space to conduct research on microgravity. Virgin Galactic’s stock rose 1.1% in premarket trades Monday.

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