Cosmic Legend: Youngest Woman in Space

Three, two, one, lift off! Season 6 is go for launch!Imagine one day you’re a typical 18-year-old, then you wake up the next day as the youngest woman to venture into the cosmos. That is the reality for Anastatia Mayers, whose curiosity for aerospace led her to an opportunity that was literally out of this world. So, how did Ana find herself aboard Virgin Galactic's “Galactic 02” commercial spaceflight? We floated this question and more to Ana, and she left no asteroid unturned.If you wonder what weightlessness feels like, how Earth appears from space, or whether Ana managed to perform any backflips, tune in to our first podcast episode of Season 6, “Cosmic Legend: Youngest Woman in Space”. In this episode, Ana shares the exciting details of her intergalactic adventure, and we discuss the role FAA played in providing a safe space in the National Airspace System for her mission.Share this episode with your family, colleagues, and friends. The gravity of this story shows the next generation that the sky is truly not the limit. Now excuse us – we're going to see if we can get a seat on an upcoming commercial spaceflight!Learn more about the FAA’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Aviation and Space Education Program (STEM AVSED).Meet Our Guest: Anastatia Mayers is the youngest woman, the second-youngest passenger, and the first Caribbean to travel to space on Virgin Galactic’s “Galactic 02” commercial space flight that took place on August 10, 2023. Mayers made the journey to space alongside her mother, Keisha Schahaff, and Olympian Jon Goodwin. Mayers is a philosophy and physics student studying at Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom.Disclaimer: Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial product, process, service, manufacturer, company, or trademark does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. government, DOT, or FAA. As an agency of the U.S. government, FAA cannot endorse or appear to endorse any specific product or service.