[oh8eleven]

a faulty control fin prevented it from starting its exotic scramjet engine and it was lost.
WTH does "faulty control fin" mean? With all the feckin' computers and test facilities, how could anything be faulty?

[Tallguy]

WTH does "faulty control fin" mean? With all the feckin' computers and test facilities, how could anything be faulty?

I guess the angle-of-attack might have been slightly off. Since the engine is air-breathing (ie. not a rocket), and the aircraft literally depends on the shockwave generated to achieve lift, you either get a successful flight or a dud. They'll figure it out.