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Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes During Flight Test
NBC - various ^ | Alan Boyle

Posted on 10/31/2014 11:41:51 AM PDT by prisoner6

Virgin Galactic said its SpaceShipTwo rocket plane suffered an "in-flight anomaly" during a powered test flight on Friday that resulted in the loss of the aircraft.

#SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly. Additional info and statement forthcoming.

— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: aerospace; burtrutan; california; richardbranson; rutan; space; spaceshiptwo; virgin; virgingalactic
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To: prisoner6

my thoughts and sympathies go to the pilot’s family.

does anyone else think space tourism is a dumb idea? we’ve only had - let’s see - 2 shuttle explosions, countless fatalities...and that’s just NASA’s record. If people want to risk their lives can’t they stick to bungee jumping, or maybe hiking Mt. Everest?


61 posted on 10/31/2014 3:26:01 PM PDT by KingofZion
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To: Duke C.

oh poo I think I FReepmailed instead of posting.

Basically it could have been an engine failure that set up a subsonic oscillation that pushed the air frame beyond design specs.

Those pivot points always bothered me.


62 posted on 10/31/2014 3:26:05 PM PDT by prisoner6 (Stop the Stupid)
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To: KingofZion
If people want to risk their lives can’t they stick to bungee jumping, or maybe hiking Mt. Everest?

If they're paying for it who am I to call them on it?

63 posted on 10/31/2014 4:09:35 PM PDT by hattend (Firearms and ammunition...the only growing industries under the Obama regime.)
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To: prisoner6

I wonder how many of the 700 space tourists have had a change of travel plans after today’s disaster? Anyways, I elect Justin Bieber to get the first ride...


64 posted on 10/31/2014 5:22:17 PM PDT by Birdsbane ("Onward through the fog!" ... Oat Willie)
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To: The KG9 Kid

Also the Orbital Sciences incident this week.


65 posted on 10/31/2014 5:22:18 PM PDT by Freedom of Speech Wins
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To: Darksheare

Solid fuel “slurries” have interesting burn tendencies/patterns...

Its all in how they pour, or fill the chamber and how it is cured around the igniters...

Go back and check out the complex procedures surrounding the Shuttles SRB’s...

Used to scare the bejeezus out of me every time they fired those damn things...This is not a lot of difference, mainly in the size of the chamber obviously...


66 posted on 10/31/2014 6:15:05 PM PDT by stevie_d_64 (I will settle for a "perfectly good, gently used" kidney...Apply within...)
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To: prisoner6

Darwin award??? ;-)

(just making a little lite, in spite of this being a sad day)


67 posted on 10/31/2014 6:17:38 PM PDT by stevie_d_64 (I will settle for a "perfectly good, gently used" kidney...Apply within...)
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To: The KG9 Kid

I was thinking they stuck them in the warehouse that also held all the spare MiG-21, -25 and T-54 engines.


68 posted on 10/31/2014 6:33:05 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: The KG9 Kid

Also, in one of those warehouses, the Russians recently found a brand new in box T-44 radiator.


69 posted on 10/31/2014 6:33:38 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: stevie_d_64

Yeah, and this has the added twist of having gas blown over it.


70 posted on 10/31/2014 7:15:20 PM PDT by Darksheare (People who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: The KG9 Kid

“If we die, we want people to accept it. We’re in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life.”
- Gus Grissom


71 posted on 10/31/2014 7:18:42 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

These days, NASA is uber risk averse.


72 posted on 10/31/2014 7:21:08 PM PDT by Darksheare (People who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: Darksheare

I know - but that is one reason why private industry is getting a foothold.

A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

We were told that at some point during my first week in the Navy.

You are never careless with life - but if you never take risks, you’ll never do anything new.


73 posted on 10/31/2014 7:23:44 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: The KG9 Kid

I was thinking the same thing. Think of what it was like back in early 20th Century as we started to fly, that was a risky business, and a lot of people died.

This is a terrible thing.

But I have to admit, for a second it filled me with a small thrill when it highlighted the context. Imagine what spaceflight could be in 100 years, it it travels the same continuum as the first explorations of manned powered flight.

I suspect these men who were injured or died today held and hold that very spark of thrill inside them as well, when they surely realized at some point the possibility of walking in the shoes of the Wright Brothers as they pushed the commercialization of spacecraft. They all understand and readily accept the risks and the dangers, because it is in our blood to push our boundaries that way.

I love that about mankind.


74 posted on 10/31/2014 7:31:53 PM PDT by rlmorel (The Media's Principles: Conflict must exist. Doesn't exist? Create it. Exists? Exacerbate it.)
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To: naturalman1975

I think that saying is amazingly relevant here.

See my post above-

We as a species seem to grasp the concept that you can never enter the same river twice, and we are attracted to the concept of being the first ones to put our foot into that river.

This is a sad day indeed. But there are going to be many more of them.


75 posted on 10/31/2014 7:37:10 PM PDT by rlmorel (The Media's Principles: Conflict must exist. Doesn't exist? Create it. Exists? Exacerbate it.)
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To: naturalman1975
Yes. Those were amazing men, they grasped it perfectly. They lived it and believed it.
76 posted on 10/31/2014 7:39:12 PM PDT by rlmorel (The Media's Principles: Conflict must exist. Doesn't exist? Create it. Exists? Exacerbate it.)
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To: naturalman1975

Yup.
NASA seems to have forgotten that.


77 posted on 10/31/2014 7:45:05 PM PDT by Darksheare (People who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: Jeremiah Jr; cyn; left that other site; Yehuda

A virgin’s “carcass” lying in the desert, yikes. RIP

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/10/31/1414796936362_wps_30_Wreckage_from_Virgin_Gala.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2816224/Virgin-Galactic-SpaceShipTwo-exploded-45-000ft-One-pilot-dead-critical-Richard-Branson-s-500m-space-tourism-plane-blows-testing-new-fuel-California-desert.html


78 posted on 10/31/2014 8:10:28 PM PDT by Ezekiel (All who mourn the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
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To: prisoner6
This is the statement Sir Richard Branson made on the Virgin website....

Richard Branson on the SpaceShipTwo crash

Looks like they're gonna keep going.

79 posted on 10/31/2014 8:10:45 PM PDT by hoagy62 ("Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered..."-Thomas Paine. 1776)
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To: hoagy62

I have no problem with private industry making lots of money. I have a problem when I’m forced as a taxpayer to subsidize them and their losses. This is from Drudge:http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SPACESHIPTWO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-10-31-15-42-41

NM Gov Richardson and Branson had a deal where we the taxpayers built them a special runway and hangar. I wonder if the deal included taxpayers sharing in the profits. It never works that way just like with Wall St, NFL, NBA, etc., does it?


80 posted on 10/31/2014 8:45:53 PM PDT by apoliticalone (Politicians work for their own self interest and puppeteers not Americans)
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