Virgin Galactic to launch its first space tourism flight

They will take off in the mothership VMS Eve (Alamy/PA)

An 80-year-old former Olympian with Parkinson’s disease will be one of three passengers on board Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight when it blasts off on Thursday.

Jon Goodwin, from Newcastle, will join Keisha Schahaff, 46, and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, 18, who is studying physics in Aberdeen, on the VSS Unity for the 90-minute trip.