Not much information yet, but one test pilot is dead and another seriously injured after an explosion while the Virgin Galactic suborbital space plane was flying under rocket power over the Mojave desert.
Many celebrities, including Sir Richard Branson and his family, Lady Gaga and Kate Winslet have signed up for seats on a Virgin Galactic flight.
Coupled with the explosion of the Oribital Sciences Antares rocket/Cygnus cargo ship just a few days ago, today's tragic event reminds us that space is not (yet) for the faint of heart.
1:24 PM PT: Kern County Sheriff's spokesman reporting that pilot ejected and co-pilot was killed.
1:39 PM PT: Reports now that Richard Branson is flying to the Mojave to be "with the team". I'll give him credit here for being a leader instead of a manager.
http://www.reuters.com/...
1:52 PM PT: Here's a link to the BBC's usual solid reporting on the story:
http://www.bbc.com/...
Mon Nov 03, 2014 at 7:07 AM PT: The "feathering" system of SpaceshipTwo deployed without being commanded to, and this may have led to the accident. SpaecshipTwo does not rely on thrusters to slow down, but feathering booms that rotate 90 degrees and turn the ship into the equivalent of a giant shuttlecock.
The engine and fuel tanks, early suspects in the disaster, were found intact.
http://www.bbc.com/...