Virgin Galactic spaceship exploded at 45,000ft

Daily Mail ^ | 10/31/2014 | Mark Prigg, Chris Spargo, Lydia Warren and Kieran

[jonatron]

...
The SpaceShipTwo plane, designed to run the first ever passenger flights into space, split into pieces and fell to earth two minutes after being launched mid-air from a carrier plane over California's Mojave Desert.

Wreckage rained from the sky as one pilot managed to eject from the cockpit using a parachute, while the other was reportedly left strapped to his seat as he plummeted to earth and died.

The pilot who ejected also suffered serious injuries and is now in hospital. Virgin has not yet said who the pilots were - though only four men were cleared by the FAA to pilot the craft.

... More than 700 people - including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry - have paid $250,000 for tickets

[jonatron]

I’m just curious, trying to imagine the scenario. At what altitude would they have ejected? How long do they wait before the parachute opens?

[publius911]

More than 700 people - including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry - have paid $250,000 for tickets

That's great!

Anyone else in for buying tickets for Obama, Dingy Harry, Ol' Piano legs, Nancy Pelosi and about half of the U.S. Senate... for starters?

[bigdaddy45]

Why do you think “this Branson” and the other people are not positive influences? They’re pushing the envelope. It’s dangerous, and things happen. Sir Richard has taken many personal risks, most specifically ballooning. He doesn’t just “outsource” risk.

I agree, this is a big setback. But pioneers push the envelope. They take risks. And I applaud them.

[Secret Agent Man]

apparently there was a new rocket motor being tested this flight.

[NoCmpromiz]

Anyone else in for buying tickets for Obama, Dingy Harry, Ol' Piano legs, Nancy Pelosi and about half of the U.S. Senate... for starters?

Maybe a GoFundMe or KickStarter campaign? All for a noble cause... ;-)

I'm sure there are many who would pay to see any and or all of those mentioned spaced. Of course, you can see that for free on CSpan.

[spokeshave]

apparently there was a new rocket motor being tested this fligh

I read on another thread today that they also have a new fuel...

Instead of the rubber based fuel (that emitted a whole lot of black smoke) they were using a new plastic fuel for cleaner burn and greater power.

The speculation was that:

1. They went to a cleaner burn for "environmental issues"

2. The plastic fuel gave more thrust.

the speculation was that the motor "burped" and the increased pulse of thrust blowed it up real good.

[chaosagent]

Two things caused the Challenger explosion: Politics and sheer bad luck.

[tanknetter]

Two things caused the Challenger explosion: Politics and sheer bad luck.

There was also a big disconnect in communication styles between the engineers and their management.

Edward Tufte, who has done some phenomenal work on effective presentation of data, did an essay some years ago on the Challenger loss. Had the engineers arranged the data they presented somewhat differently, two things would have been absolutely clear to management: 1.) Direct correlation between O-Ring problems and cold temps leading up to time of launch, with more problems the colder it got and 2.) the fact that NASA had NEVER attempted to launch a shuttle in temps anywhere near as cold as it was that morning.

Now hindsight is always 20/20, but the data as Tufte rearranged it demonstrated at the very least that NASA was operating far, far, far into unknown territory in making the decision to launch that morning. And despite the politics of trying to launch a flight under intense media pressure and scrutiny, might have given management pause as to what they were about to ok. Here's what that data looked like, and could have been presented as.

[chaosagent]

It’s even more basic than that.

Politics required spreading the Shuttle contracts around the US so all the Senators and Congressmen could brag about bringing a ‘piece of the action’ to their state, thus getting their votes for the project.

This is how the SRB’s came to be manufactured in Utah, where they had to be segmented, otherwise they would be too big to transport to Kennedy.

No segments, no O-rings.

As far as bad luck, it was only sheer bad luck that the burn-thru occurred within the ~90 arc facing the External Tank. If the burn-thru had not happened here. the main engines would have gimbaled over to offset the slight loss of thrust and the Shuttle would have proceeded to orbit.

[VTenigma]

He didn’t eject at all, there were no ejection seats. He either used the escape hatch (unlikely ) or was ejected do to the blast and his parachute opened via a barometric device ( more likely ).

[NautiNurse]

Branson claimed the company would push on after the crash. I have my doubts.

Fabulous news: the pilot survivor is alert and communicating. Keep your doubts, and I'll maintain my optimism.

[NorthMountain]

when NASA was doing it?

What, exactly, did NASA build?

Boeing, Rockwell, Douglas, Lockheed, Convair, Martin, and a whole host of lesser contractors built the rocket airframes, motors, fuel systems, avionics, life support, etc.

[NorthMountain]

NASA was operating far, far, far into unknown territory

Yes ... and that's ALL it demonstrates. The extrapolation to 31 deg is completely unsupportable by the previous data. A graph like that would, and should, be greeted with a hearty "BS!"

[Ozark Tom]

The first photo post explosion shows the airframe enveloped in white vapor and appears traveling backward. The vessel tail fins appear blown away, and a glow consistent with the engine visual signature is present.

A possible emergency escape is located aft of the port side pilots station. Suspect the continuing tumble of wreckage, with varying G-load, made an exit through a hatch extremely difficult compounded with injuries.

[hulagirl]

Yes, all these comments are correct. But wasn’t the coupling of the gov and private sector aeronautics successful for the most part? Except for of course the overages and waste.