JavaScript is required to use Bungie.net

OffTopic

Surf a Flood of random discussion.
Edited by DE4THINC4RN4TE: 10/31/2014 8:06:38 PM
10

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo has blown up.

[url=http://www.ibtimes.com/virgin-galactic-crash-one-confirmed-dead-spaceshiptwo-explosion-update-video-1717113]News Article on the accident.[/url] So for those of you who are unversed in the ways of Commercial Space, Virgin Galactic is a company that operates the SpaceShipTwo. They've been having trouble with their fuel mixture, so they switched to a new type of fuel. Today was the first powered test flight with that new fuel. The SpaceShipTwo works by being carried up to a high altitude by a double-bodied aircraft (Called WhiteKnightTwo), then dropped. After it is dropped, the rocket engine ignites and pushes the spacecraft to the edge of space. It then glides down to the same spaceport it was launched from. Right now it is still in the testing phase, however it should be going commercial soon. Needless to say, this will delay that happening. Details are still coming in, but it seems that activation of the rocket while in air caused an anomaly that resulted in an uncontrolled explosion. Of the two test pilots, one is dead and the other is seriously injured. At least one ejected. The Spacecraft supposedly broke up when it impacted the Mojave, leading to a total loss. Interestingly enough, this was the 54th Test Flight. This falls in line with the accident rate for military aircraft of about 1/50 test flights. We saw a similar rate with the Space Shuttle Missions.

Posting in language:

 

Play nice. Take a minute to review our Code of Conduct before submitting your post. Cancel Edit Create Fireteam Post

You are not allowed to view this content.
;
preload icon
preload icon
preload icon