BReaking - Virgin Galatic's test flight has crashed

[malaise]

Two parachutes spotted - assumed to be the pilots.
People ont he ground say it broke up. Virgin says flight problems...on GEM$NBComcast

[burrowowl]

1. Link

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/virgin-voyage/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-crashes-during-flight-test-n238376

[malaise]

2. Thanks for the link

[upaloopa]

3. From the picture it sure doesn't look like

modern space technology. It looks like three 1970's business type jets bolted together.

[dilby]

23. The craft is the middle one.

The two jets are used to carry it to an altitude where it is released and then flies into space.

[upaloopa]

24. Ok thanks

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. that's two spsce crashes this week

[Bad Thoughts]

5. That's two private space crashes in one week. eom.

[malaise]

7. Privatization has fugged up way more than that in any given

week

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. On the bright side

that is not OUR money going up in smoke.

( sorry to hear there was a death, tho)

[malaise]

17. Very true

[malaise]

11. Yes indeed

Live coverage on M$NBComcast and CNN

CNN confirming that one person is dead

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. news says that Branson investors have been clammering for their ride, getting tired of waiting

[malaise]

15. He should have let them fly

and spared the pilots

Too many of these folks have more money than sense. The ridiculous competition among the greedy never helps - apparently they were trying some new grain fuel. Everyone wants their own ready first because ultimately the 1% want to reach London from New York in '20 minutes' and space travel was to be the new Concorde.

[snooper2]

13. One wasn't a crash, it just went BOOM! Neither were in space FYI

[Eugene Stoner]

6. Live feed of the crash site

http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/virgin-galactics-spaceship-two-experiences-in-flight-anomaly-103114

[malaise]

8. Thanks

[enlightenment]

9. Now reporting that one of the pilots has died.

The other has major injuries.


https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SpaceShipTwo&src=typd

[malaise]

12. Too sad

Just on GEM$NBC

[MineralMan]

10. That's too bad.

It was a very interesting experiment, and one I have followed since it started. I've even seen the plane up close. My wife and I stopped on a trip to Las Vegas once.

[malaise]

18. The science is interesting but the greed

and competition on steroids is never good

[MineralMan]

19. I can't really comment on that.

Space is important. Since we decided not to keep on with manned spaceflights, it went into private hands. At least they're trying to create something that will keep humans in space. I can't argue with the motive. I want to see space exploration continue on a manned basis, along with the unmanned missions.

[Johonny]

21. But his rocket doesn't really go into space

It really had no science function. It sends (rich) people on a joy ride to the edge of space and then back down. It doesn't achieve orbit. Had no science function. Would play no role in space exploration or even as a launch vehicle. It is/was just a overhyped rich guys play thing. He's killed several people on it now. This is the second major accident (the other was a ground test). I am not impressed with his companies safety record to date. At this point he deserves no praise. This is not the future of space. Indeed other companies have launched for years with good safety records but the media ignores the vast majority of Americas space program because it isn't sexy.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

20. Everyone involved share the same goal and know the risks. Thoughts with the family

and friends of both test pilots who I consider, despite the profit motivation, to be pioneers in the continuing quest to make access to space available to all mankind.

[malaise]

22. I always have respect for test pilots

Yes they know the risks but no risks no advances.