Antigua and Barbuda: Prime Minister Gaston Browne attended the celebration of the Antiguan and Barbudan mother-daughter duo for making a historic space voyage.
Thousands of the people of Antigua and Barbuda gathered on Thursday at Antigua Recreation Grounds to witness and celebrate the historic movement.
Antiguans Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastatia Mayers created history on Thursday when they journeyed to the edge of space.
The pioneering women have now become the first from Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean and the first mother and daughter to reach the final frontier.
The flight on Thursday was the inaugural flight of Virgin Galactic’s space tourism programme aboard VSS Unity and also included former British Olympian Jon Goodwin.
CEO of the Virgin Galactic space programme, Richard Branson, was also on hand and joined in the loud cheers and the waving of hundreds of Antigua and Barbuda flags as they watched the momentous occasion.
The passengers experienced about 5 minutes of weightlessness at 55 miles above the Earth’s surface.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne also commented on the accomplishment of the two women and said that he hopes this will inspire many of the nation’s students to become astronauts and space engineers.
He noted that it demonstrated the resilience of the Antiguan and Barbudan people and should be celebrated.
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority said, “Thank you for gathering with us at the watch parties in Antigua and Barbuda to witness the historic 3, 2, 1 release moment that our Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers made it to space.”
It added, “Thank you, Thank you to all our partners, service providers, entertainers, and everyone behind-the-scenes, who helped make the day in Antigua and Barbuda special.”
On the auspicious occasion, the entire nation of Antigua and Barbuda gathered and celebrated a jubilant display of national pride.
As per the government, it is the proud movement of the celebration for the people from the sun-soaked beaches to the heart of every village and town.
Antigua and Barbuda also broadcast the Virgin Galactic Global Livestream of the spaceflight on massive screens at a public Watch Party in Antigua.
The resonance of this monumental feat reverberated globally, serving as a beacon of inspiration and a source of unity that transcended borders.
