Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes: 1 Dead, 1 Injured

[fallstuff]

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes: 1 Dead, 1 Injured

Virigin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane exploded and crashed during a test flight on Friday, killing one crew member and seriously injuring another, authorities said.

The explosion scattered debris across a two-mile swath of the desert floor outside Mojave, California, and came after the plane was released from its WhiteKnightTwo carrier airplane. SpaceShipTwo was testing its rocket engine in flight for the first time in more than nine months.


"During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of the vehicle," Virgin Galactic said in a statement. "The WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft landed safely. Our first concern is the status of the pilots."

Jesse Borne, an officer at the California Highway Patrol, told NBC News that there was one fatality and one major injury.

The flight originated from the Mojave Air and Space Port, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. The Federal Aviation Administration said two crew members were aboard SpaceShipTwo — which is consistent with Virgin Galactic's practice of having two test pilots who are equipped with parachutes. The pilots have not yet been identified.

Read more,
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes: 1 Dead, 1 Injured - NBC News

 

[mike2000]

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes: 1 Dead, 1 Injured

Virigin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane exploded and crashed during a test flight on Friday, killing one crew member and seriously injuring another, authorities said.

The explosion scattered debris across a two-mile swath of the desert floor outside Mojave, California, and came after the plane was released from its WhiteKnightTwo carrier airplane. SpaceShipTwo was testing its rocket engine in flight for the first time in more than nine months.


"During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of the vehicle," Virgin Galactic said in a statement. "The WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft landed safely. Our first concern is the status of the pilots."
Jesse Borne, an officer at the California Highway Patrol, told NBC News that there was one fatality and one major injury.
The flight originated from the Mojave Air and Space Port, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. The Federal Aviation Administration said two crew members were aboard SpaceShipTwo — which is consistent with Virgin Galactic's practice of having two test pilots who are equipped with parachutes. The pilots have not yet been identified.

Read more,
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes: 1 Dead, 1 Injured - NBC News

Sad news indeed......coming immediately after the other U.S rocket resupply mission to the ISS. this should remind us how manned space travel/missions can be dangerous indeed. RIP to the pilot.

 

[A.Rafay]

RIP to the pilot. Really a big setback to the main planned future mission.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

If this happened in a non-European country, wonder what the media would be saying?

Would they be offering condolences?

Or would they bring up the country's history of disastrous air/space launches, space agency links with the military, etc?

 

[Parul]

Rest in peace!

 

[thesolar65]

Sad, but make sure that we learn from each failures, no need to hurry.

 

[JSCh]

Condolence

 

[C130]

terrible loss, but I am not all that impressed or interested in Virgin Galactic
either they bounce back from this or this is the end of Virgin Galactic..

 

[TejasMk3]

RIP.
It's been a rough week for the private space industry.

 

[Aepsilons]

RIP to the pilot .

 

[Developereo]

RIP.

It just goes to show that we are in extremely early stages and mass consumer space travel is probably several decades away.

 

[JSCh]

 

[JSCh]

October 31, 2014
RELEASE 14-306
Statement from NASA Administrator on Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo Mishap

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden:

“On behalf of the entire NASA family, I offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the pilot lost in today’s accident involving Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, and we are praying for a speedy recovery of the other pilot.

“While not a NASA mission, the pain of this tragedy will be felt by all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploration. Space flight is incredibly difficult, and we commend the passion of all in the space community who take on risk to push the boundaries of human achievement.”

 

[45'22']

Rest in peace

 

[BDforever]

RIP