Second Space Disaster in a Week: One Dead

This has not been a good week for the private sector space industry.  Earlier today, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashed in the California desert during a test flight, killing one pilot and injuring a second pilot.  The spacecraft, built for space tourists, was using a new rocket fuel, which may have contributed to the accident. 

On its website, Virgin Galactic stated:

Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo earlier today. During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of the vehicle. The WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft landed safely. Our first concern is with crew and their families. We will work closely with relevant authorities to determine the cause of this accident and provide updates as soon as we are able to do so.

It has been 10 years since SpaceShipOne opened the door to space tourism, and this crash can only increase the wait for the hundreds who put down money to be part of the project. 

At a press conference earlier today, Stuart Witt, responsible for the Mojave Air and Space Port, said: 

We are doing this for you and your generation. It is a cause far greater than any one of us singularly. I compare it to the Magellan expedition [the first circumnavigation of the Earth].’

I don't think Magellan was running a tourist outfit back then, but I understand the sentiment.

Image Credit:  KABC-TV/AP Photo