Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two crashed?

[ralphrj]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-29857182

Virgin confirm "in-flight anomay", other reports of a crash.

[davepoth]

Looks to have made a smoky hole in the ground. No word on the pilots.

[ralphrj]

Pictures of wreckage on CNN - fate of pilots unknown

[Jimbeaux]

This just after the Antares rocket from here exploded after takeoff a few days ago, bound for the ISS.

[greygoose]

One fatality according to California authorities.

[GCH]

ralphrj said:

Pictures of wreckage on CNN

Yes...it cut short a rather interesting episode of cold war

[THX]

That's the end of that, then.

(and I mean no disrespect to the lost pilot. I hope they managed to escape and are found quickly)

[Grumfutock]

Is it me or did that thing always look a bit flimsy?

[davepoth]

Grumfutock said:

Is it me or did that thing always look a bit flimsy?

Study is not cheap to put onto a sub-orbital trajectory.

Best case this is an easily fixed aberration which is going to put back flights by a year or more, worst case is that it's something fundamental and the whole concept has to be binned.

[storminnorman]

1 fatal 1 injured by the looks of it.
So it has ejection capability?

[weyland yutani]

I know nothing about engineering but the long span between the two fuselages looked flimsy to me. Im sure it's very strong but to a layman observer it doesn't inspire confidence in a supersonic, low earth orbit vehicle.

[MajorProblem]

Been told this was a test of new fuel type.

They've had an explosion before iirc, that killed some ground staff.

[Jasandjules]

That is a shame.

I don't want to make light of it but many people die pushing boundaries of technology

[sparks_E39]

THX said:

That's the end of that, then.

I very much doubt it.

[Dan_1981]

davepoth said:

Grumfutock said:

Is it me or did that thing always look a bit flimsy?

Study is not cheap to put onto a sub-orbital trajectory.

Best case this is an easily fixed aberration which is going to put back flights by a year or more, worst case is that it's something fundamental and the whole concept has to be binned.

I's not the flimsy one with the wing that's exploded though is it.

That's White Knight 2. Its Spaceship 2 that's gone.

[toohuge]

Jasandjules said:

That is a shame.

I don't want to make light of it but many people die pushing boundaries of technology

I agree. The risk that pioneers put themselves at are often overlooked.

It must be awful for the company and the families at this time.

[tim0409]

MajorProblem said:

Been told this was a test of new fuel type.

They've had an explosion before iirc, that killed some ground staff.

The last fuel type was a solid rubber which by all accounts was extremely volatile. I read the recent Branson book by Tom Bower which had quite a lot of information about this project. I hope the second pilot survives.

[don4l]

sparks_E39 said:

THX said:

That's the end of that, then.

I very much doubt it.

Unless Branson can fund the rest of the project out of his back pocket, the project is over.

Some of the people who have already paid will be having second thoughts.

This also has serious implications for NASA's space programme. NASA has not been investing much in ground launch vehicles because they assumed that it would be cheaper to use private companies. NASA has been spending lots on the craft that would go from near Earth orbit to Mars - and back.

[-Z-]

I think it could be the end of the project.

How many people will cancel? Many I reckon.

Pushing the boundaries is normal with space but the trouble is this is essentially a very fast tourist bus.

[MajorProblem]

I was thinking that with all the talk that the spaceship cannot achieve its stated goals, they've switched to a new fuel in order to get there.

Seems wierd to me, why was the tech for the fuel not around 5yrs ago? Why switch now?