Space Ship Two Crashes

[venture]

SpaceShipTwo a 'loss' after anomaly during test flight - CNN.com

Two pilots on board, one confirmed dead, other with critical injuries.

This is going to be VSS Enterprise, N339SS, that has gone down. The have a second craft, VSS Voyager, that is still available.

[Mel]

I hope the 2 pilots were able to get out safely.

[kelroy55]

That's too bad. I would have thought there would have been some type of escape pod in case of trouble.

[venture]

I hope the 2 pilots were able to get out safely.

One was killed, the other ejected. Only the two pilots were on board.

That's too bad. I would have thought there would have been some type of escape pod in case of trouble.

They do have the ability to eject and one made it out, the other didn't.

From the sounds of it the engine fired for 2 seconds, cut off, and then started up again and exploded.

[PennyQuilts]

Just awful. I hope the second pilot recovers.

[gopokes88]

I don't think the average person comprehends how difficult space travel is.

[SoonerDave]

One was killed, the other ejected. Only the two pilots were on board.



They do have the ability to eject and one made it out, the other didn't.

From the sounds of it the engine fired for 2 seconds, cut off, and then started up again and exploded.

This was also apparently the first test flight with a new engine that was designed to perform better. Be really curious to know what kind of pre-flight testing they did.

The average person (and I don't at all mean that as any kind of slam) just doesn't appreciate how complicated even a jet engine is, let alone the kinds of systems necessary for space flight. I remember how many *years* of delay on the Space Shuttle were directly attributable to delays in shuttle engine design. I lost track of how many engines blew up during tests, and each one would have to go back to square one with a root cause analysis, design changes, rebuilds, then more tests.

This last aircraft had a $500M pricetag and really calls into question whether Branson will be able to make a go of the routine civilian space travel notion. It sounds so cool, but the road from concept to implementation is monumentally complex.

Maybe stuff like this in the private sector will make people appreciate just how astonishing it really was that we made it to the moon and back multiple times, with an in-flight explosion along the way once, but still never lost a single soul on any of those trips.

[gopokes88]

This was also apparently the first test flight with a new engine that was designed to perform better. Be really curious to know what kind of pre-flight testing they did.

The average person (and I don't at all mean that as any kind of slam) just doesn't appreciate how complicated even a jet engine is, let alone the kinds of systems necessary for space flight. I remember how many *years* of delay on the Space Shuttle were directly attributable to delays in shuttle engine design. I lost track of how many engines blew up during tests, and each one would have to go back to square one with a root cause analysis, design changes, rebuilds, then more tests.

This last aircraft had a $500M pricetag and really calls into question whether Branson will be able to make a go of the routine civilian space travel notion. It sounds so cool, but the road from concept to implementation is monumentally complex.

Maybe stuff like this in the private sector will make people appreciate just how astonishing it really was that we made it to the moon and back multiple times, with an in-flight explosion along the way once, but still never lost a single soul on any of those trips.

NASA basically had a blank check to work with which is really helpful when a $200 million piece of equipment accidentally blows up. Branson although a billionaire, doesn't have an unlimited amount of money. The profit potential at $250,000 a flight is huge however one wonders how hard of a sale it is going to be now.

[venture]

Maybe stuff like this in the private sector will make people appreciate just how astonishing it really was that we made it to the moon and back multiple times, with an in-flight explosion along the way once, but still never lost a single soul on any of those trips.

This is something that the public really forgets all too often. They also need to remember that those successful trips also meant that some sacrifices did have to take place to learn from our mistakes. Apollo I identified wiring issues that might have caused problems down the road. Of course Challenger and Columbia highlighted other areas.

Space travel is always going to have risk. People will die. Humans aren't perfect, but the best we can do is learn from it and get better.

[Mel]

I don't think the average person comprehends how difficult space travel is.

Star Trek ruined us.

[bluedogok]

This is something that the public really forgets all too often. They also need to remember that those successful trips also meant that some sacrifices did have to take place to learn from our mistakes. Apollo I identified wiring issues that might have caused problems down the road. Of course Challenger and Columbia highlighted other areas.

Space travel is always going to have risk. People will die. Humans aren't perfect, but the best we can do is learn from it and get better.

Roger Chaffee was one of the astronauts killed in the Apollo 1 fire. He was married to Martha Horn, the daughter of Henry Horn of Horn Seed Company at NW Expressway and Classen which just closed in the last year.

[Mel]

That is a cool factoid.

[Plutonic Panda]

I don't think the average person comprehends how difficult space travel is.

pshhhh please. The government just WANTS you to think that so you'll be afraid to leave the planet. Me, I don't listen to that non-sense. I have a timeshare on the moon. That's right. Welcome to the SHOW!

[Plutonic Panda]

This is something that the public really forgets all too often. They also need to remember that those successful trips also meant that some sacrifices did have to take place to learn from our mistakes. Apollo I identified wiring issues that might have caused problems down the road. Of course Challenger and Columbia highlighted other areas.

Space travel is always going to have risk. People will die. Humans aren't perfect, but the best we can do is learn from it and get better.

It's really incredible. I can't imagine what it would've been like to be on this earth during July 21 of 69' looking up at the moon knowing that there were people up there. That must of been an incredible feeling for anyone that cared to look up.

[bluedogok]

My parents let me stay up late on some of the night launches, I was a big space geek back then during the Apollo program. Still geeked out going to Johnson Space Center in Houston.

[Mel]

It's been a few years ago but a city to city exhibit of the recovered Liberty Bell 7 was in town. We went and when I looked into that capsule I knew right then I would never have had the stones to get into that on the end of a rocket. It was a cool exhibit by the way. Go if you ever get the chance.

[bluedogok]

Even knowing the possible outcome I wouldn't have hesitated....but then a neighbors cousin was Tom Stafford and I knew he went up to space a few times and came back.

[Mel]

I am claustrophobic. looking inside the thing gave me the willies. It takes exceptional people to live and work on the edge like that. My condolences out to the family and friends of the deceased pilot and a successful recovery of the injured pilot.