Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Has Crashed, Possible Casualties

Gizmodo ^ | October 31, 2014 | Matt Novak

[Truth29]

Virgin Galactic is reporting that there has been an "in-flight anomaly" aboard SpaceShip Two. There are unconfirmed reports that one of the two pilots is dead.

[DoughtyOne]

Well in this instance let’s hope Twitter lives up to it’s root word.

[Talisker]

Twitter From @AP: California Highway Patrol reports 1 fatality, 1 major injury after SpaceShipTwo accident

DAMN. I really was praying not to read that.

Prayers for all involved.

[UNGN]

I’m an adventurous person and race cars for fun, but anyone considering going into “space” on Spaceship 2 needs to watch the documnetary on Spaceship 1 winning the X prize.

You will not want to go into space after watching that.

Chosing between “getting Ebola” or going into space on Spacehip 2, would be a tough decision for me to make.

[Vermont Lt]

I guess it burns good.

[Talisker]

What rot.

[BenLurkin]

Vlad Putin

[gr8eman]

Hackers are normally busy! See Bill Gertz’s latest!

[TigersEye]

The Ancient Aliens are POd.

[Biggirl]

....Until Obama LEAVES after 2016.

[BenLurkin]

Kern County Fire department Captain Tom Ellison told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO the aircraft landed in a remote region of the Mojave.

“This is a remote area between Highway 14 and Highway 395…this is a vast area, and from my vantage point, I’m not even able to see any wreckage,” Ellison said. “I understand that it’s scattered throughout a two-mile area.”

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/10/31/virgin-galactic-spaceship-encounters-inflight-anomaly-during-test-flight/

[Truth29]

One thing I noticed from the video is that there are large sections of the airframe intact with two looking like they broke apart on impact. I expected a midair explosion to break up the craft into much smaller pieces. Could this have been a combustion chamber failure more confined in nature, perhaps?

[al baby]

going into space with an ebola stricken fellow passenger

[BenLurkin]

The engine burns solid propellant

[A. Morgan]

Benito Obama

[UNGN]

From the pictures, the “combustion chamber” and rocket nozzle is missing from the fusealage along with both tailbooms.

It appears to be an inflight explosion.

[Truth29]

Here is an article about the new fuel. It talks about the fuel becoming pliable above certain temperatures so I guess it was not liquid, but might have different physical handing characteristics than the prior solid fuel mixture.

[anymouse]

Bad week for commercial space. :(

Another pilot gets his photo hung on the wall of Pancho Barnes Happy Bottom Riding Club.

[PapaBear3625]

I really have to wonder if the “elite” want to restrict access to space by us plebes....

The nightmare scenario for most elites, is that the productive members of their societies have someplace to go where they can use their talents outside of the reach of the rules, regulations, and taxes the elites impose.

For a long time, the United States filled that function, even though in the early days (1600's and 1700's) the voyage to get here was expensive and dangerous. Now we are becoming so regulated and taxed that the most talented would jump at a chance to go elsewhere that was better.

[TBP]

“I hate anomalies; they give me a headache.” — Captain Kathryn Janeway

[BatGuano]

But, you must admit that the line was very funny.

Wait, if an object was falling to earth and hit the ascending spacecraft one could blame gravity!