SpaceShipTwo Crashes in Mojave Desert; One Dead [UPDATED]
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Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo has crashed in the Mojave Desert on October 31.
The craft was undergoing a powered flight test when it suffered a “serious anomaly” following its release from the White Knight Two carrier plane. SpaceShipTwo fired its rocket engine and apparently exploded in mid-flight. A source at the Kern County Sheriff’s Department told NBC News that two parachutes were seen after the incident, accounting for the two pilots who were on board. However, BBC News is reporting one fatality confirmed by the California Highway Patrol, although no other details are available at this time.
This is the first powered flight for SpaceShipTwo since its successful flight in January. Earlier this month, Virgin Galactic had successfully completed an “unpowered glide flight”. The ship was designed to carry six passengers in a sub-orbital flight pattern, taking it from a carrier-launched altitude of 50,000 feet to a higher flight path using the on-board rocket.
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UPDATE:Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of #SpaceShipTwo earlier today. (1 of 4)
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October 31, 2014
During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of SpaceShipTwo. WK2 landed safely. (2 of 4)
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October 31, 2014
Our first concern is the status of the pilots, which is unknown at this time. (3 of 4)
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October 31, 2014
We will work closely with relevant authorities to determine the cause of this accident and provide updates ASAP. (4 of 4)
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October 31, 2014
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NBC photographer Ken Brown was covering the flight and reports that he saw an explosion high in the air, and later found debris from the craft scattered in the desert. The crash occurred north of the Mojave Air and Space Port, which lies ninety-five miles north of Los Angeles.
According to Dateline, NBC is examining their decision to move forward with Space Race, the reality show pitched by Mark Burnett. The concept: people competing for a chance to go up into space. NBC was also set to broadcast the first commercial space flight live on Today, in a three-hour broadcast covering Richard Branson and his children on board SpaceShipTwo for her maiden flight carrying passengers.
NBC says they are “gathering information on the situation” on the scene in the Mojave Desert.
Developing…
