Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo test flight crashes in Mojave Desert - 1 dead, 1 injured

Virgin Galactic spaceship has in-flight problem

MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — Virgin Galactic has reported an unspecified problem during a test flight of its SpaceShipTwo space tourism rocket.

The company tweeted Friday morning that SpaceShipTwo was flying under rocket power and then tweeted that it had "experienced an in-flight anomaly." The tweet said more information would be forthcoming.

Kern County Fire Department reports it is heading to a location in the Mojave Desert. California Highway Patrol Officer Darlena Dotson says the agency is responding to a report of a crash in the Cantil area.

More@Link
http://m.kfiam640.com/onair/bill-ca...actic-spaceship-has-inflight-problem-12923397

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:rose:

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What a terrible week for space travel :( Prayers of comfort to the family of the deceased. I hope the second occupant survives his injuries.
 
Oh. I think media have captured a photo of the remains of a pilot in the parachute photo they took from a helicopter. It's not nice. Wish they'd left that one out.
 
Just received this updated alert

KFIAM640: Witness say SpaceShipTwo exploded in flight after ignition of rocket, crashed in desert. CHP says 1 death, 1 major injury. www.kfiam640.com




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Branson’s Virgin Galactic Spaceship in catastrophic explosion and crash: One pilot
dead & another critical as experimental plane blows up on test flight over California


⁍ SpaceShipTwo was flying under rocket power and then tweeted that it had 'experienced an in-flight anomaly'
⁍ Virgin Galactic confirmed craft had exploded
⁍ Images show parts of the craft on the ground
⁍ Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Kate Winslet among those who have signed up to fly in the spacecraft
⁍ Second space disaster in a week after Antares rocket exploded
⁍ Sir Richard Branson had pledged to be on first commercial flight with his family
⁍ More than 700 customers have paid as much as $250,000 for a seat on the plane, which cost $500 million to develop
Story, pictures, and videos at DM link above.
 
Whoever added the tag "virgin galactica" to this thread if you could edit it to "virgin galactic" (no "a" at the end) that would great.
 
Thoughts & Prayers go out to the Virgin Galactic Pilots & their Families...
 
Whoever added the tag "virgin galactica" to this thread if you could edit it to "virgin galactic" (no "a" at the end) that would great.

Think I did it, but it's gone now, so a mod must have done it for me.
 
Daily Mail:

Virgin Galactic crash was inevitable as the rocket was 'crude and unreliable', claims Richard Branson's biographer

⁍ Biographer said Branson's bold plans were always going to end in tragedy
⁍ Tom Bower claimed rocket used in spacecraft was 'crude' and 'unreliable'
⁍ Space plane broke into pieces above Mojave Desert, California, on first flight
⁍ One pilot died in the crash and another was injured after parachuting out
⁍ Bower said Virgin Galactic engineers have walked out over safety fears

Story, pictures & video at link above.
 
Why all the consternation over the death of one individual in this pioneering endeavor----How many men did Columbus lose in quest for the New World. Like Branson said, if you don't take risks you don't go anywhere and all those pilots families will be well taken care of----not so much for those 30,000 who are killed in auto accidents----lets put things into the proper perspective.
 
Why all the consternation over the death of one individual in this pioneering endeavor----How many men did Columbus lose in quest for the New World. Like Branson said, if you don't take risks you don't go anywhere and all those pilots families will be well taken care of----not so much for those 30,000 who are killed in auto accidents----lets put things into the proper perspective.
Your "Columbus discovered New World" example is in keeping with the rest of this at least, tautologically speaking. As for Branson, I'd just as soon not trust an egomaniacal failed hot air balloon pilot with the keys to the universe just yet, thanks.

As for "proper perspective," John Donne already did it -- the bell tolls for thee.
 
I think it's time to shut this space travel thing down. Richard Branson seems to be a bit of an egoist. Wouldn't be surprised to see an American Greed, based on Virgin Galactic, in the near future. Many who have paid their $250,000 for a ticked may soon be asking for refunds. My guess is that $$ has already been used in development of a failed vehicle.
 

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