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Second Spaceship Crash In One Week: Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Suffers "In-Flight Anomaly" - Live Feed

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Possibly good news:

Not so good news:

The bad news:

For the second time in a week, a vessel due to go to space has crashed. As SpaceFlightNow reports, Virgin Galactic is reporting its SpaceShipTwo suborbital rocket plane experienced an “in-flight anomaly” on a powered test flight over California’s Mojave Desert on Friday. Two pilots were believed to be aboard SpaceShipTwo, according to the scanner discussion. SpaceShipTwo test flights customarily carry two pilots.

Live Feed:

AP provides some background:

Latest update:

 

 

 

Wikipedia describes the vessel's propulsion system as:

The hybrid rocket engine design for SpaceShipTwo has been problematic and caused extensive delays to the flight test program. The original rocket motor design was based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) fuel and nitrous oxide oxidizer – sometimes referred to as an N2O/HTPB engine[27][28] – from 2009–early 2014. In May 2014, the engine design was switched from a HTPB to a polyamide fuel formulation.

As KGET10 reports,

SpaceShipTwo, the Virgin Galactic space plane, has crashed east of Mojave, according to the director of the Mojave Air and Space Port Stu Witt.

Witt said a 2 p.m. news conference has been scheduled, and no further details will be available until then.

Via SpaceFlightNow,

Virgin Galactic is reporting its SpaceShipTwo suborbital rocket plane experienced an “in-flight anomaly” on a powered test flight over California’s Mojave Desert on Friday.

 

 

The anomaly apparently occurred after the space plane fired its rocket motor following a high-altitude drop from Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo mothership.

 

Scanner traffic from local first responders indicated wreckage from a crashed aircraft in the area. Reports say parachutes were spotted in the air.

 

Two pilots were believed to be aboard SpaceShipTwo, according to the scanner discussion. SpaceShipTwo test flights customarily carry two pilots.

 

The suborbital spacecraft was making its first powered flight since January and was testing a redesigned rocket motor.

 

Virgin Galactic, part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, was aiming to complete qualification of the rocket-powered plane in time to begin space tourist flights to the edge of space next year.

 

Slung beneath the WhiteKnightTwo carrier plane, the spacecraft took off at 9:19 a.m. PDT (12:19 p.m. EDT; 1619 GMT) from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The takeoff was delayed more than three hours to wait for bad weather to clear the area.

 

The test flight was the 55th flight of the SpaceShipTwo vehicle, and the craft’s 35th free  flight. It was the fourth time SpaceShipTwo had fired up its rocket motor in flight, and the first powered mission since Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, the craft’s builder, switched from a rubber-based propellant to a plastic-based fuel mix.

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Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:26 | 5399202 Wait What
Wait What's picture

show me some pics. i've been craving the optics of something blowing up all day.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:33 | 5399235 knukles
knukles's picture

Aliens.  A serious conspiracy.  SETI muzzling alien contact radio signals requesting a 24/7/365 broadcasting of Howard Stern.  That of be phazered into dust.  The Annanuki wanting all their gold back.  The Chinese unwilling to sell it as they're better buyers than sellers.  William Shatner campaigning for First Lord of the SpacePort.  UFOs all over the place.  Sucking electricity form the sun and the French Power Plants (because it tastes better than other food energy).  Kids sticking their tongues into light sockets.  Serious stuff.  Hijacking rockets and planes.  Not to mention the other 4 moon landings that never happened according to NASA, who couldn't find any records of the moonshots never happening.  It's all mysterious and Illuminati controlled brainwashing.  The Reptilians have taken over Dulce and are in control, making the hums all over the place.  I'm tellin' ya' getchur ray guns and shelter in fear.  Escape to one of the DUMBS if you can!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:37 | 5399248 Richard Chesler
Richard Chesler's picture

Software written in India.

Hardware made in China.

What could possibly go wrong???

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:41 | 5399263 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

"In-flight anomally" = blew the fuck up

Anyway the good news is that Virgin has just offerred 50% off it's first passenger flights..

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399282 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Failed to get permission from the Great Pumpkin.

You have to be really sincere;)

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:51 | 5399313 Freddie
Freddie's picture

It looks like the wreckage is near some trains tracks.  Is this where MexiPornia is going to run the high speed rail line?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:55 | 5399340 max2205
max2205's picture

How was I to know she was with the Russians too!  Huh

 

Zevon

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:03 | 5399374 Vampyroteuthis ...
Vampyroteuthis infernalis's picture

Anyway the good news is that Virgin has just offerred 50% off it's first passenger flights..

You are going to have to pay me to fly on that thing! -50% payment to fly. Banksters first please!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:11 | 5399402 drendebe10
drendebe10's picture

...obamy in there 1st please 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:18 | 5399429 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

Ideal target, if you think about it.  Lot of rich/powerful people in the same metal tube with a lot of highly explosive stuff strapped to it (if/when they get it ready for passengers).  

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:26 | 5399465 BaBaBouy
BaBaBouy's picture

Well... Looks like The Russians Still Got The Only Safe Ticket Up Into SPACE...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:11 | 5399606 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

Clearly the Aliens do not want us to leave the Earth. Even they  fear EBOLA.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:33 | 5399686 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

Hey Richard

Software written in India.

Hardware made in China.

What could possibly go wrong???  <------- ASSEMBLED IN THE USA lol

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:38 | 5399694 holgerdanske
holgerdanske's picture

Exactly, but you forgot to blame the Russians and insist the explosion was made by choice!

 

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 19:24 | 5400082 Muppet
Muppet's picture

Putin strikes again.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 20:22 | 5400272 MontgomeryScott
MontgomeryScott's picture

If you wish to see what the thing looked like in flight, Jeff rense posted a link to a site called 'Chonday'. I watched it last night, in fact. They were flying ofer the Pacific right outside S,F.

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/jegalctospc2

For the one who lost his life in this test flight, R.I.P.

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:43 | 5399446 Eirik Magnus Larssen
Eirik Magnus Larssen's picture

Zero Hedge has been systematically warning us about the danger of a central government running things.

It's heartening to see how well the privatization of space exploration has been working out so far.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:04 | 5399546 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

First...Since few here seem to think in this fashion..INCLUDING YOU ASSHOLE..

 

My prayers and condolences are tendered to the survivors of that brave and bold crew of SpaceShipTwo as they are amongst the most deserving. They can take solace that the crew was doing that which they enjoyed when they perished.

 

Next to address the concerns of the Socialist Statist Troll...

 

US Government NASA Space Program...17 Dead...14 Dead in two Shuttle Accidents and 3 Dead from a fire in the Crew Cabin on the Ground..

 

Private Space Program...1 Dead...maybe 2

 

Spaceflight is still dangerous. Isn't that really expected?

 

Magellans' Circumnavigation of the World...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Magellan%27s_circumnavigation

 

The Spanish Armada de Molucca consisted of five ships with 270 men: Trinidad under Magellan, Captain General; San Antonio under Juan de Cartageña; Concepcion under Gaspar de Quesada; Victoria under Louis de Mendoza; Santiago under Juan Rodriguez Serrano. The circumnavigation was completed by one ship, the Victoria, under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano and a crew of 18 men.

 

Hmmm...

 

252 Dead

 

In any great venture or exploration there are going to be human casualties.

 

Now you can be a fucking coward and depend on Mommy Government to protect you from all dangers...which is a FUCKING ILLUSION.

 

Or you can be bold, adventurous, and actually experience activities that few get the opportunity to experience.

 

After all...IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:54 | 5399735 alfredthered
alfredthered's picture

Bravo. Bra-fucking-vo.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:46 | 5399849 Pool Shark
Pool Shark's picture

 

 

Well said Tom & Alfred.

As for you Eirik: DIAF

At least they (SS2) weren't using government funds in their enterprise...

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:54 | 5399323 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

Any bankers want to give up their pre-paid seats now?  Fuck it, I'll go.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:13 | 5399408 barre-de-rire
barre-de-rire's picture

finally a good news, 1st wave of rich fucking bastards gonna die in a crash !

 

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeepaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:41 | 5399705 Karl von Bahnhof
Karl von Bahnhof's picture

Cohen Lake.

Sinister place.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:43 | 5399281 Syrin
Syrin's picture

The conspiracy minded people at some of the web sites I have been too believe the US military took these things out because they were carrying an EMP device to be set off over the continental US.  Usually I ignore these things, but over the past 5 years, I would say about 70% of what these conspiracy guys say have come to fruition, unfortunately.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:58 | 5399349 Dr. Richard Head
Dr. Richard Head's picture

Maybe this was due to the weakening mangetic field around the earth due to the poles shifting?

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:15 | 5399419 Headbanger
Headbanger's picture

No it's due to fucking retards like you who believe that shit.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:10 | 5399765 tony wilson
tony wilson's picture

christine lagarde you nose the leather faced whore at the imf she got some rich friends.

she said she is told what to do.

she loves numbers

numeracy

kaabala la la

caanaanites energy in numbers

it a numbers saturn game all this space time continue ums

negative neutrino cern haarp an all that

headbanger fuck off back to sports

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:34 | 5399490 Smiddywesson
Smiddywesson's picture

I don't know Sy, the way I explain it to family and friends is 90% of conspiracy theory is utter nonsense, unless it involves money, or power, then 90% is usually at least partially true. 

 

The reason is it's easier to conpire to take something away from someone else than it is to earn an honest buck.  Human nature invites conspiracy.

 

That usually shuts them up.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:54 | 5399326 FieldingMellish
FieldingMellish's picture

Pilots educated in the American public school system.

Spacecraft made in California.

 

What could possibly go wrong???

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 18:06 | 5399890 JuliaS
JuliaS's picture

...Pretty soon, all you'll need to get into college is a fucking pencil! 'Gotta pencil? Get the fuck in there, it's physics!'

- George Carlin

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:42 | 5399261 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Oh, cheer up knuks,

  at least in wasn't one of Amazon's drones, or sumpin' important.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399279 knukles
knukles's picture

I'm still waitin' for that sausage and mushroom pizza I ordered from them 3 weeks ago.
It's a Conspiracy, dammit!
Aliens stealing my pizza

 

pulling aluminum foil hat down tight over rest of cranium

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:16 | 5399425 exi1ed0ne
exi1ed0ne's picture

Funny thing is that unless it's grounded, you're just funneling signals into your think space more efficiently.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:38 | 5399257 zaphod
zaphod's picture

I like explosions, but not when people die. There were 2 pilots onboard. 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:12 | 5399401 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

Spaceship One was a suicide mission...and yes there were fatalities.

One was a test pilot...and a whole bunch were guys on the ground.

Big difference between a jet engine and a rocket engine. Amazingly these guys were able to bail out apparently so at least they had a chance. If you want to watch a real hair raiser see the entire Doscovery Channel special on Spaceship One and the day they actually won the Ansari X Prize. That pilot should have died on that plastic plane he was flying.

No, there was no way out of the craft.

Be interesting to see how Branson et al try and talk about this. "Welcome to Space Flight."

"Spam in a can" as Chuck Yeager called it.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:24 | 5399457 exi1ed0ne
exi1ed0ne's picture

Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? . . . We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. - JFK

The road to space will be paved in blood, and our species will spread to other worlds and live amongst the dead of those that preceeded them.  Hell, I signed up for Mars One knowing full well it would mean my death or at the very very best a drastic shortening of my lifespan.  It is essential we work to go to other worlds, because right now all out eggs are in one fragile basket.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:38 | 5399510 Smiddywesson
Smiddywesson's picture

Yes, but history moves in cycles.  It's a kind of The Fourth Turning/Kondratiev Wave type of thing.  The moon was our accomplishment and now our society is collapsing.  Maybe the next one will shoot for Mars.  It's easy to get upset with the lack of progress in manned space flight, but the time has cycled aroud yet.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 16:03 | 5399589 stant
stant's picture

We will be lucky if someone writes down the formula for concrete. It's not on the Georgia guide stones

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:17 | 5399428 YHC-FTSE
YHC-FTSE's picture

I had the mistaken impression that this thing had ballistic recovery systems. One dead, the other seriously injured by the last report. It's a shame.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:50 | 5399311 Bloppy
Bloppy's picture

It's fun to pick on Beardie (Branson), but not today, especially if people have been hurt or killed.

 

Elsewhere: panicked Dems resort to Big Brother tactics to browbeat their supporters to the polls. Will it backfire?

http://tinyurl.com/mrnpd66

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:40 | 5399832 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

Looking at that pic sleigher one cant help but think that staying alive is just a matter of staying in front of that torch coming out the back end.  Like with a gas welding torch, blowback can be a bitch.  Guess they didnt have flashback arrestors on that puppy...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 21:03 | 5400389 Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull's picture

Almost looks they not only switched to a new fuel, but were testing a pulse engine...

Condolences to the family and friends of the perished one!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 23:14 | 5400785 NEKO
NEKO's picture

IMHO its not a space ship, its a high altitude vehicle (there's no re-entry) so if you paid for a ticket to space you weren't going anyways.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 23:14 | 5400786 NEKO
NEKO's picture

...wonder what the flight number was... is there a 7 in it :-O

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:26 | 5399203 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

There go the ticket sales!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:34 | 5399241 ss123
ss123's picture

This is one of those "you go first" types of things.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:16 | 5399418 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

"Bunch of kids just died at a rock and roll concert in Korea.

But did this stop Rock and Roll?

NO I TELL YOU! NO IT DID NOT!

We will ROCK ON I tell you!" Branson...first draft.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:27 | 5399773 tony wilson
tony wilson's picture

branson worships satan

rock n rolla is a tavistock invention

alistair crowleigh demonic energy harvest

branson donte needs your supports pilgrim

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:38 | 5399204 Wait What
Wait What's picture

Kern County? that's a little too close to home. they need to take that shit out into the mid-pacific lest I should end up with debris raining down on my neighborhood.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:16 | 5399777 tony wilson
tony wilson's picture

cern country

higs bosun bollox

hawkins can walk and talk

like einstein before he is just a big fake act.

 

viva la nikola tesla

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:28 | 5399205 The_Virginian
The_Virginian's picture

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids. 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:34 | 5399232 robertocarlos
robertocarlos's picture

it's cold as hell.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:35 | 5399239 knukles
knukles's picture

That's cruel
+++'s for EJ

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:45 | 5399288 Ruffmuff
Ruffmuff's picture

I liked "my favorite Martian". He was really tuned in.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399285 Syrin
Syrin's picture

It's less in debt than the US, by far.   More freedom there too.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:28 | 5399209 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

Any tourists interested in jumping the Grand Canyon in Evil Kneival's rocket sled?  Guaranteed to make it at least half way across!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:28 | 5399217 nope-1004
nope-1004's picture

2 spaceships, both in the month of October (10)

 

2+2+10 = 14

It's 93 million miles to the sun, 93,000,000/14 = 6,642,857

Drop the last 3 digits, and you get 6 6 (4+2), or 666

See the connection?  It's all related.

 

lmao

It's Friday, and I'm bored.  Junk easy on me.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:37 | 5399256 HedgeHammer
HedgeHammer's picture

Lol I'm with ya brother. You can't spell Virginia without Virgin.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:43 | 5399280 ParkAveFlasher
ParkAveFlasher's picture

EERIE

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399283 walküre
walküre's picture

How can you be bored? The mother effin' Godzilla of QE was unleased in Japan and you're bored? You need to scramble for stocks man! /sarc

With regards to the numerology mumbo jumbo.

That speech Lagarde held was real. She did talk some bat shit crazy stuff and she did mention that 2014 was a magic year. I'm still waiting for the magic. Crazy shit happened with regards to that "magical" number 7 (think Malaysian Airlines and the dates) etc.

QE has ended. BoJ doubling down and unleashing hell over the currency markets.

I came across this term Shemitah here on ZH a couple days ago and have googled "shemitah 2014" to get a clue.

There is some crazy stuff going on this year and to some Jews, this is the beginning of the 7 year downturn. Lagarde is Jewish of course. Some sites speculate that this Shemitah year we're in is in fact the Jubilee year.

Putin pretty much says, fuck this shit and tells the world he's had enough of the bullshit.

Sorry to bother you. I know you're bored.

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:37 | 5399502 sleigher
sleigher's picture

"I came across this term Shemitah here on ZH a couple days ago and have googled "shemitah 2014" to get a clue."

Me too.  I wasn't aware of that before I read it here.  Interesting stuff to say the least.  Especially when you start going back in time and thinking about markets and events.  Things do kind of line up.  

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:46 | 5399290 fooshorter
fooshorter's picture

I dont know dude, compard to the alien consipracy comment above yours at least has math to back it up....

 

pray for the pilots, they dared something great, while pathetic fat banking fucks sit there and count their paper numbers

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:30 | 5399472 valley chick
valley chick's picture

There is numbers ....number 7.  I believe the Shemitah runs to mid September 2015. Right in step with the 4th blood moon. Debt is to be forgiven during the Shemitah every 7 years. Interesting when you start researching the correlation with the "market".  Jubilee follows the year of the Shemitah, a time of rebuilding.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:29 | 5399219 WTFRLY
WTFRLY's picture

Facebook to mine, sell user data on political issues to ABC, clickbait distraction site Buzzfeed

http://wtfrly.com/2014/10/31/facebook-mine-sell-user-data-political-issu...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:29 | 5399221 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

Obviously blasted by Klingon disrupters from their cloaked Birds of Prey...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:46 | 5399291 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

Klingon ships can't fire when cloaked. Duh. Everyone knows that...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 21:45 | 5400505 Alvin Fernald
Alvin Fernald's picture

That means it was the Romulans.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:03 | 5399367 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Klingons are a piece of cake, compared to Clingons.

Who have a vested interest in picking up the pieces for 10 cents on the dollar.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:32 | 5399485 knukles
knukles's picture

Their leader, Hillbillary Clingon is said to be ruthless. 
The Rath of Khan Foster

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:31 | 5399223 Global Hunter
Global Hunter's picture

If Richard Branson would focus on shooting people through fucking tubes he could prevent accidents like this one.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:40 | 5399267 knukles
Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:31 | 5399224 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

An in-flight anomaly.  That sounds exciting.

Can we send Barry on the next one???

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:35 | 5399238 kowalli
kowalli's picture

Can we send Hillary by next one?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:49 | 5399310 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

How about they hold all of the presidential debates on them?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:57 | 5399342 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

I like that idea. 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:51 | 5399312 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

How about we send the SEC up with no golden parachutes?  We can give them a few copies of Hustler and they will never notice.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:17 | 5399415 knukles
knukles's picture

Kaiser... it is becoming clear.

Inflight Glitch = Calibration problems in Voting Machines

aka

Fucking thing blew up. = Joe Stalin's It's who counts the votes that matters.

So riddle me this.  Is Tim Cook Batman or Robin?
Let's get the serious shit on!
Meaningful Course of the Universe Feelie Touchie Shit

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:26 | 5399459 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

I always thought Robin was more gay,

  but not my area of expertise, godtsidank;)

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:34 | 5399497 knukles
knukles's picture

His costume did look more like a Twinkie than Batman's, come to think of it. 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:08 | 5399758 Freddie
Freddie's picture

They are giving a press conference.  They should have had Chevy Guy do it. 

http://nypost.com/2014/10/30/hilariously-awkward-chevy-guy-steals-series...

In-flight anomaly.  The engine ignited and blew up.  They are using a new desugn with "plastic" fuel - probably chicken mcNuggets ground up.  Then had been using a "rubberized" fuel which was probably old condoms.

The new engine was never tested properly.   Sad but also stupid.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:32 | 5399227 robertocarlos
robertocarlos's picture

 

parachutes? There ain't no air in space.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:37 | 5399250 stacking12321
stacking12321's picture

maybe not, but there's some between your ears.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:47 | 5399295 Freddie
Freddie's picture

In space, no one can hear you scream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NcKKNcZ_1k

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:33 | 5399234 Freddie
Freddie's picture

I was hoping the Google boys, Eric Schmidt and Bezos were onboard.   I hope the real pilots are okay.  So much for this idea Branson. 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:40 | 5399266 stacking12321
stacking12321's picture

bezos is not a google boy.

yes, you're quite right, when a setback happens, the thing to do is to give up completely. that's how humanity advances.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399284 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

WTF? That's a fucked up view. Failures are only failures if you give up and choose not to learn from the setbacks. For an anti-government boy, you sure seem to have .gov attitude.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:55 | 5399331 Freddie
Freddie's picture

F you.  I am all for the idea is all the 1% take a test flight. 

I bet you don't even know who designed the thing?  He has called NASA a total F up and he is correct.   If he ran NASA, something might get done.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:12 | 5399362 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

Quit your crying. I'd much rather have space flight taking place in the private sector. When it's their money at stake, they're going to be more cautious than a .gov entity who just throws money around to "fix things". Accidents happen, that's how we learn. Besides, name for me one breakthrough where the wealthy didn't get the advantage first.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:18 | 5399432 knukles
knukles's picture

Syphilis

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:23 | 5399451 Barnaby
Barnaby's picture

Beer kozies

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:50 | 5399538 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

Correct.  It's not our money, it's Branson's money.  The pilots assumed the risk.  No one put a gun to their heads and forced them to test these planes out.  They could have walked away and found something else to do.  They chose not to.  

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:55 | 5399552 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

The State of New Mexico built his hangar out in the middle of nowhere and extended infrastructure to it.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:11 | 5399766 Freddie
Freddie's picture

I agree but the hangar and facility were paid for by tax payers.  More scams by the 1%.  They should stick to shooting the 1% through tubes or with nail guns.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:34 | 5399236 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

Getting off this planet safely is proving to be a bitch.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:39 | 5399265 ss123
ss123's picture

If SpaceShipFiftyThree doesn't crash after a few years in service, I might be interested.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:36 | 5399251 lead salad
lead salad's picture

Hopefully it will do the same with all the rich folks and Hollywood types on her maiden flight......

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:08 | 5399391 L Bean
L Bean's picture

God no! They would then be akin to religious martyrs! Martyrs of America. 

Bieber, DiCaprio, KAty Perry, Ashton Kutcher, Brangelina. Fuck, it'd probably be Saint Brangelina if that were to happen. 

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:17 | 5399422 Barnaby
Barnaby's picture

Not Brad Pitt, he hates flying, loud noises cause his tinnitus to create monster headaches. He'll be stateside, killin' Zekes.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:36 | 5399252 Hamm Jamm
Hamm Jamm's picture

zzzzzzzZZZZzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz   zzz zz   huh ugh what ... ebola   where where ?   oh plane blows up... big deal    zzzzzzzZZZzZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:42 | 5399273 10mm
10mm's picture

Get that fuckin thiing working right so I can get off THIS FUCKIN PLANET.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:58 | 5399350 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

I've been waiting my whole life for the mothership to return for me, but all these years later, I'm starting to doubt it will happen.

At least I'll finally be amongst the like-minded once we're all in Camp FEMA.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:42 | 5399274 Silver Bullet
Silver Bullet's picture

Concord?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:46 | 5399296 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

Lexington?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:18 | 5399434 knukles
knukles's picture

The Germans at Pearl Harbor

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:41 | 5399275 buttmint
buttmint's picture

Pork Barrel to NoWhere...Google Earth up Las Cruces, New Mexico...then pan north to view the "SpacePort." Pure human and ex-Govvie Bill Richardson's hubris.

Nothing much there except a hole in the State's Budget. An arid wasteland of gov't pork barrels and tumbleweeds. Shocking waste of money. The Space Shuttle wasn't exactly cheap seats to space. Nothing will be.

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:01 | 5399365 ebear
ebear's picture

 

An arid wasteland of gov't pork barrels and tumbleweeds. 

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away". 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:23 | 5399276 khakuda
khakuda's picture

I love the use of words.  Instead of "fiery crash, dead bodies", it's an "anomoly".

It's like using "Stimulus, QE and ZIRP" instead of "We are taking on a boatload of debt which will cause higher taxes down the road and ensuring that your hard earned dollars buy less over time while we punish savers and the non-reckless while encouraging spenders and speculators who got us into trouble in the first place."

Hilary didn't lie, she "misspoke".

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:44 | 5399286 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

Branson should probably consult Jetman to see if he is available to fly one of these missions or at least look over the equipment and offer some advice.  Jetman seems to have a knack for dangerous yet innovative aviation.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:45 | 5399292 I Write Code
I Write Code's picture

Virgin no more.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:48 | 5399302 Hamm Jamm
Hamm Jamm's picture

Flaming Virgin !

just have to spin this to a positive

 

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:04 | 5399297 ThroxxOfVron
ThroxxOfVron's picture

Can't reach escape velocity?  

I haven't heard of any Japanese spaceships crashing to Earth.

...Sounds like somebody needs to print moar...

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 22:50 | 5400713 honestann
honestann's picture

How about their nuclear reactors?

-----

However, to make a more relevant point, maybe we should distinguish one-off technology that's doing something difficult (like rockets into space) from bread and butter technology like the hundreds (or maybe ?thousands?) of nuclear reactors that sit around all day every day waiting to "go wrong".

Look at Fukashima (and most nuclear reactors in Japan) for instance.  A great many of them are located on the ocean in a part of the world that is GUARANTEED to suffer major earthquakes and tsunamis fairly often.  And yet they were not designed to survive those circumstances.  In fact, their designs were so egregiously horrific that almost any rational human being could see their configurations were grossly inadequate and disasters sure to happen sooner than later.

I wish nothing but good luck to all the private space pioneers.  Having said that, the mission of these Virgin Atlantic semi-spacecraft does seem rather trivial.  They'd be a lot better off trying to create a space habitat or help those nerds who hope to take a one-way mission to mars in 10 or 20 years.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:53 | 5399303 TrumpXVI
TrumpXVI's picture

Welcome to the, "Post Human Spaceflight Era".

 

(I  loved that last comment from mission control during the other day's Antares launch, "....main engine at 108%...")

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:15 | 5399417 robertocarlos
robertocarlos's picture

That's still 2% below maximum output.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:53 | 5399321 walküre
walküre's picture

the sound is eerie

is this for real or a Halloween gag?

sounds like aliens have invaded

we should be so lucky

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:54 | 5399322 Rusputin
Rusputin's picture

If this is confirmed, I'm very sorry for the loss of life, my positive thoughts go out to their families and freinds, maybe this is premature.

As a side issue to Richard B, I think this whole venture is a bad idea and doomed for more serious failure. It's kind of "the rich having fun, because they think they can". Space travel puts life at the limit, and nature will bite very quickly and often, in such circumstances. Nature prefers equilibrium, not limits.

My advice Rick... Drop the whole idea, sell the technology and facilities, join the Germans and make a driverless car or affordable housing to advance humanity.

Hope things work out well, but good compliments on the efforts and sacrifices so far, but please quit whilst you're relatively ahead.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:55 | 5399330 seek
seek's picture

Now reports one pilot alive with moderate injuries, one found dead still in a seat within the wreckage.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:56 | 5399333 Satan
Satan's picture

" you didn't build that space ship"

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:56 | 5399337 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Payback for Roswell bitchez.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 14:59 | 5399353 semperfi
semperfi's picture

Could be those pesky Russkies!  Same advanced electromag weapons that brought down the space shuttle back in the 80's.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:08 | 5399388 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Another German sneak attack, like Pearl Harbor.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:02 | 5399360 ThroxxOfVron
ThroxxOfVron's picture

Since a Governmnet did not create those private-space-program jobs -so they cannot exist; -thus nothing has crashed and noone has been injured or killed...

La la la.   La la la.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:05 | 5399379 papaswamp
papaswamp's picture

All these worlds are yours except.... Wait never mind...none of these worlds are yours.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:12 | 5399404 L Bean
L Bean's picture

Now, can we have Elon Musk and Jen Psaki test-pilot the next one?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:22 | 5399447 knukles
knukles's picture

Look.  Just because Jen Psaki come across like a dumb blonde, doesn't mean you should wish her ill.
I mean, seriously.
Like uh   whatever
You know?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:40 | 5399514 F.A. Hayek
F.A. Hayek's picture

Does the carpet match the curtains? Inquiring minds want to know.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:13 | 5399406 flyonmywall
flyonmywall's picture

That's what happens when you have a loss of human capital over time, due to beancounters downsizing NASA, lack of vision, and "letting the private sector" do it.

There is a reason why NASA had an army of engineeres for the Apollo project and the space shuttle. Because they had to test every possible variable and possibility, and that takes manpower.

You can't do space delivery vehicles on the cheap, without lots and lots of human capital. Sadly, most of those engineers from the 1960's and 1970's knew their stuff, and they are now slowly dying off or too old. There was no investment in a new generation of engineers who could have learned the skills from the old timers in the 1990's.

So now, you have to start from scratch, and make nOOb mistakes, which of course, cost money. Money that was supposed to be saved.

Yeah, right. Fuck off and die, Virgin Galactic Pompous Fool.

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:23 | 5399453 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

What the fuck are talking about?  The NASA space shuttles?  They worked out great didn't they?  I'm all for this sort of work and I am not going to make fun of Branson and in fact I applaud him for doing what he is doing. 

We didn't learn to fly without some accidents and the .gov did not invent the airplane.  Private individuals invented the airplane.  Branson is putting his money where his mouth is.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:42 | 5399519 Rusputin
Rusputin's picture

Putting money where mouth is, is valid, but not in space. Bit like land speed record or deepest unaided dive, erm depends on you arragement with God, not cashflow.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:12 | 5399407 Barnaby
Barnaby's picture

Godspeed and may a flight of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Polyamide fuel is dodgy in the desert.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:16 | 5399423 himaroid
himaroid's picture

The WRONG stuff.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:18 | 5399430 Son of Captain Nemo
Son of Captain Nemo's picture

I'm actually very sorry to hear that.

If it had been another unmanned NASA rocket carrying a DoD payload I'd be celebrating!!!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:20 | 5399442 Dickweed Wang
Dickweed Wang's picture

It's the Russian's fault!!

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:24 | 5399444 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  His name was Richard Branson. /s

  Don't get me wrong... I love all these composite, shrink wrap, tin foil, off Earth ideas.

 In this case I wouldn't mind being on the "waiting list".

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:22 | 5399450 alfred b.
alfred b.'s picture

 

       Am sure that not even this will wipe the smirk off his face!

 

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:23 | 5399455 StagStopa
StagStopa's picture

Bullish spacex.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:27 | 5399462 jim249
jim249's picture

Sad news. But you know, when governments have failures in their secret missions and people die, you will never hear about it. This is a public corporation, so we hear about these events.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:32 | 5399484 observer007
observer007's picture

Virgin Galactic spaceship crashes during test flight,…

 

latest

http://tersee.com/#!q=virgin&t=text

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:40 | 5399516 Cardinal Fang
Cardinal Fang's picture

Good News: You are selected Pilot in Command

Bad News: PIC orders 'Bail out'

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:47 | 5399533 tony wilson
tony wilson's picture

no tears for branson the rothschild stooge.

cuddly jumper wearing bearded fucking twat.

him and is empire of the city of london rabbis's got the nothern rock bank for pennies on the dollar pound.

10s of billions of assets for 700 million fuck him.

 

as for the pilots only the insane would fly in that bucket with wings.

are the pilots victims  no just indulging some jumped up  masonic friend of bonos

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:51 | 5399541 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  This is why I like tony so much!  Great work my friend.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:50 | 5399539 Bunga Bunga
Bunga Bunga's picture

Good news for the 0.1%: No nailgun needed, die in style.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:49 | 5399540 DFCtomm
DFCtomm's picture

What? You thought going to space was easy?

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:52 | 5399548 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  That rocket was clearly powered by Abenomics.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 17:53 | 5399865 synopsisTODAY
synopsisTODAY's picture

Nope. It was powered by Islam.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 20:33 | 5400295 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  Hey Fuckhead. We don't appreciate script hackers! fuck off. 3 weeks 1 day.

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Sat, 11/01/2014 - 12:34 | 5401651 synopsisTODAY
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And we don't appreciate Japan-haters. Been here a long time. Go figure.

Fri, 10/31/2014 - 15:54 | 5399550 kowalli
kowalli's picture

Let's wait some time so they can twist this to blame Russia or China

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