'In-flight anomaly' on Virgin SpaceShipTwo

DougC · #1 by **DougC** » Oct 31, 2014 7:12 pm

News just in, at B.B.C.

Griz_ · #2 by **Griz_** » Oct 31, 2014 7:21 pm

Sounds like one hell of an anomaly.

Sad to hear.

DougC · #3 by **DougC** » Oct 31, 2014 7:34 pm

NEW

B.B.C. - Virgin SpaceShipTwo destroyed in test

Ironclad · #4 by **Ironclad** » Oct 31, 2014 7:35 pm

It's a bad week for outer space

DougC · #5 by **DougC** » Oct 31, 2014 7:37 pm

From NBC News.

CdesignProponentsist · #6 by **CdesignProponentsist** » Oct 31, 2014 8:00 pm

I figured this was inevitable considering the industry, but sucks nonetheless. I hope they figure out what exactly went wrong so they can make it safer.

BlackBart · #7 by **BlackBart** » Oct 31, 2014 8:05 pm

Shit.

kennyc · #8 by **kennyc** » Oct 31, 2014 8:08 pm

If SpaceX suffers a massive failure .... I'm calling conspiracy or Aliens or Time Travelers or...

Weaver · #9 by **Weaver** » Oct 31, 2014 8:35 pm

RIP. This is still a very dangerous endeavor - reaching space - and we'd do well to not forget that.

Weaver · **#10** by **Weaver** » Oct 31, 2014 8:45 pm

Another angle on the crash site:

Weaver · **#11** by **Weaver** » Oct 31, 2014 8:47 pm

Reporting saying spacecraft dropped per plan at 50k AGL, ignited rocket then anomaly occurred.

Steve · **#12** by **Steve** » Oct 31, 2014 9:09 pm

If it were easy it wouldn't be exciting. They were working on new engine designs, which is essential at this stage in our skills. My heart goes out to the team, but I hope whatever happened they figure it out and it isn't a deal breaker.

Spearthrower · **#13** by **Spearthrower** » Oct 31, 2014 9:11 pm

johnbrandt · **#14** by **johnbrandt** » Oct 31, 2014 10:42 pm

If you go to news station pages on places like Facebook and read the comments...good lord...all the comments about "we shouldn't be invading space", and so on. Good to see the spirit of human endeavor and exploration is completely dead in a lot of people apparently.
Of course there were a lot of people complaining about the early aviation pioneers like the Wright brothers and other early aviators as well...imagine if they'd have given up back then because of a few setbacks and accidents (and there were plenty).

Then again there was one catastrophic re-entry accident with the space shuttle and the whole project was chucked in the bin. Seems like the public are very upset when even one human life is lost in any endeavor and demand it be canned immediately...they have no concept of "acceptable risk compared to the value of the potential outcome".
Yes it's risky, but look at what the end product could be.

campermon · **#15** by **campermon** » Oct 31, 2014 10:47 pm

Very sad news. But has been mentioned - it's a risky business getting into space. I think the risk is worth it.

I'd gladly take a ride on a rocket ship!