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A Virgin Galactic test flight on Saturday (Sunday NZT) ended prematurely because the spacecraft’s rocket engine failed to ignite and then it glided safely toward its landing site in southern New Mexico.
The spacecraft’s engine is supposed to turn on moments after it is released from a special carrier jet, sending the spacecraft on a near vertical climb toward the edge of space.
“The rocket motor firing sequence was not completed. The vehicle and crew are in excellent shape, ”Virgin Galactic said in a brief statement on Twitter.
“We have several engines ready at Spaceport America. We will check the vehicle and be back on the flight soon. “
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The hour-long flight was the first from Virgin Galactic’s new headquarters at Spaceport America, an outpost in the futuristic desert where the aircraft carrying the spacecraft took off at approximately 8.25 a.m.
Before first announcing the spacecraft’s safe return to earth and then the rocket problem, Virgin Galactic’s Twitter updates on the flight’s progress were cryptic and sparse over a 15-minute period that began with a announcement that the spacecraft was “launched” from the aircraft that brought it to the launch altitude.
GALACTIC VIRGIN
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Unity launched from VMS Eve.
The company has previously said that the release of the spacecraft from the aircraft would occur at about 50,000 feet (15.2 km).
At that point, the spacecraft would enter a smooth glide and within seconds the rocket engine would ignite and the nose of the spacecraft would tilt toward a near vertical ascent into space.
Suborbital flights are designed to reach an altitude of at least 50 miles (80.5 km) before planning for a landing.
After delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and uncertain weather earlier this week, the crew had been cleared for a morning launch amid clear conditions.
The spacecraft was manned by two pilots. There was a NASA payload on board, but there were no passengers.
Galactic Virgin / AP
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Unity, attached to the VMS Eve mothership, takes off at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. The test flight is Virgin Galactic’s third, as the company expects to begin commercial flights next year.
The next phase of final testing for the Virgin Galactic team will involve the company’s engineers and mission specialists who will be loaded into the spacecraft’s passenger cabin for powered flight. They will evaluate all the hardware, camera settings, and what angles will provide the best views.
The company has yet to announce a firm date for its first commercial flight.
More than 600 customers from around the world have purchased tickets to launch into the lowest fringes of space, where they can experience weightlessness and get a view of the Earth below.
