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Virgin Galactic's spaceship crashes in test flight

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 1 Nov 2014, 7:50AM
(Photo / Getty Images)
(Photo / Getty Images)

Virgin Galactic's spaceship crashes in test flight

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 1 Nov 2014, 7:50AM

UPDATED 9.13am: US officials will investigate the crash of a Virgin Galactic spaceship in the California desert, which has killed one pilot and injured another.

The sub-orbital passenger spaceship being developed by billionaire Sir Richard Branson's company, had reportedly been testing a new fuel.

CEO of the Mojave Air and Space Port, Stuart Witt, says nothing appeared to be wrong.

"I detected nothing that appeared abnormal.

"I was briefed that the plume would look different now to what it had in the past, and it did, but I couldn't detect anything."

The company has confirmed that an "in-flight anomaly" occurred during the flight.

Spaceship Company president Doug Shane says their hearts go out to everyone affected by the loss of life.

"When we have a mishap from the test community, we find that the test community is very small and we are human and it hurts."

Meantime, Virgin Galactic has been selling seats on prospective journeys for $270,000 dollars.

The end for space tourism? 

Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher and Russell Brand are among celebrities to have signed-up for flights.

CNN's Richard Quest says the crash could mean the end for any plans for commercial space travel.

"What you're seeing now of course is very dramatic, very different.

"This was space tourism's best and only hope in the future and something's gone very seriously wrong."

Meanwhile, journalist Joel Glenn Brenner says eyewitnesses on the ground watched the craft detach normally from its mother ship, about 50,000 feet up.

"And the rocket did light and it burned for approximately two seconds, then the rocket stopped and immediately everyone knew there was trouble."

The crash comes 10 years after Virgin Galactic won the coveted Ansari X Prize, for the first manned commercial space flight.

Glenn Brenner says it's a tragic setback to an incredibly successful programme.

People were saying, 'hey, look what happened - Virgin Galactic', the wonderful result of that achievement and look at what Virgin is about to become."

 

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