ANTIGUA-Tourism Authority plans two watch parties as astronauts head to space.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has announced that it will host two public watch parties on Thursday, August 10, as the mother-daughter duo of Keisha Schahaff and Anastasia Mayers lift off into space aboard the Galactic 02 space flight from Spaceport America, New Mexico.

Forty-six-year-old Schahaff, a health and energy coach, won an international sweepstakes in July 2021, organized by Omaze in association with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. As her prize was a ticket for two, she will take along her 18-year-old daughter, an astrophysics student with ambitions to work at NASA.

The pair will be the first Caribbean women to travel into space on the Galactic 02, making its first private astronaut spaceflight and second commercial spaceflight.

The Tourism Authority said it will hold the watch parties on both the islands of Antigua and Barbuda beginning at 9:00 am with the takeoff carded for 10:00 am.

In Antigua, the watch party will occur at the Antigua Recreation Ground and at the Holy Trinity Primary School in Barbuda.

The statement from the Authority says that Prime Minister Gaston Browne has invited the founder of Virgin Galactic, Richards Branson, and Christopher Huie, a Jamaican-American, who earlier this year became the 19th Black astronaut, a family of the Antigua and Barbuda astronauts as well as Government officials and dignitaries to the watch party.

Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, commended the duo, who he says will inspire other Antiguans interested in space travel for years to come.

“We are excited to witness this moment in history and extend an open invitation to all to join us at the watch parties for this historic moment,” Fernandez said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C. James, applauded the ladies as they embarked on their remarkable journey to space.

“The excitement is such that the whole of Antigua and Barbuda feels like we will be going to space with the ladies. We cannot wait for August 10 and will be out with our flags to cheer the ladies on,” he added.