Posted on 10/31/2014 11:41:51 AM PDT by prisoner6
Virgin Galactic said its SpaceShipTwo rocket plane suffered an "in-flight anomaly" during a powered test flight on Friday that resulted in the loss of the aircraft.
#SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly. Additional info and statement forthcoming.
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Some chatter that the engines were not worthy of even experimenting with.
My nephew rodeos with one of these pilots sons, he went with his family on a summer trip to California and had a ball...
The Dad took him up for a glider flight...
Needless to say he had a ball, and did not want to come back to Texas...
Hoping for the best, but prepared for the worse...I know my nephew will take this pretty hard...Regardless...
We’ll know soon...
Seeing as this craft has made over thirty flights, last I heard, that was my first guess. The fuel change keeps getting mentioned, but I don't think that's it. Right now, no one knows. These guys are breaking new ground with every step, and the risks are great.
Space is not for the timid.
This was bound to happen. Hopefully their investors have the stomachs to see this happen far more than they may be comfortable with.
I missed that one, got a link?
only the 4th flight on the rocket and the first with “new” Fuel type... kind of points to the fuel.
If a chunk of fuel breaks off inside the rocket and plugs the nozzle, only one thing is going to happen.
Hate to say it, but it looks like this dream is over.
After seeing the new on scene video of not just the stabilizers but also what appear to be the air frame mid section there are no burn marks. No cratering in the desert. Seems like the debris fell more or less straight down.
Now obviously I am no expert - but I play one on FR,hehehe - my guess is now that the engine shut down the restarted with a force that exceeded the air frame design.
It tore the stabilizers off and then the main air frame failed.
FWIW a professional photographer on scene says he say the engine start and restart. Saw debris fall to earth near him.
He and others ran to the wreckage and found what was left of the cockpit with the body of the co pilot still in his seat.
I’m going with catastrophic air frame failure possibly as a result of and engine malfunction.
Not designed in the 1960's, but actually built in the 1960's and stored in "Siberia".
Probably better than "rocket racing league" technology, but not quite "1980's rocket technology"
Agreed, I’m no expert and I’m not there, but I think “structural failure” is the culprit.
In the ‘60’s I fantasized about strapping a couple of hundred Estes model rocket engines to a plywood dosk on my back. If...IF they all ignited at the same time I MIGHT make it a few hundred feet into the air.
Then I grew up and learned physics...LOL!
Russian rocket engines stored in Siberia!!!! Who would do that...oh wait...NASA.
There’s reports of the engine shutting down after 6 seconds then restarting and exploding, so that’s consistent. Keep in mind that the descent profile of the spacecraft was supposed to be belly first straight down at that point so how it descended wasn’t uncharacteristic of the craft.
Probably as you say, engine explosion blew the craft apart.
Yes, but I’m curious about the 10,000 Mosin crates it was supposedly stacked next to. I knew they were in a Soviet era warehouse after the N1 was cancelled, I just didn’t know they had Mosins in the same place.
Press conference starting now...
http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/live-video/watch-live-officials-discuss-virgin-galactic-s-spaceshiptwo-crash-322485827772
We sure owe a great debt to those who are willing to risk all, like these test pilots. We would never have made it into space, were it not for people like this.
God bless them.
Mega Dittos!
New engine designed for the new fuel.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/31/spaceshiptwo-flew-on-untested-rocket-motor.html
Was there static testing? If there was I didn’t see it in the article. Then again pumpkin beer is making me ready for bed.
IMO chemical engines are not the way. There has to be another way into space.
Burt Rutan’s one of a kind. So are his designs. Scaling up the original test bed isn’t as easy as some thought.
He is a genius.
That said those tail fins hanging out in the supersonic wind seem to me to be susceptible to oscillation that would put incredible stress on pivoting parts.
But, heck, what would you think that a Soviet Siberian long term mothball warehouse where surplus rocket engines were stored might contain? I'm guessing 10,000 crates of archaic Mosin-Nagants, 560,000 rolls of very thick not quite 'flesh'-colored nylon stockings, Premier Brehznev's 1971 Cadillac Eldorado with flat cracked tires on all four corners sitting over a pool of dried motor oil residue, 246 metric tons of red paint, one paint brush, a scientific prototype military tank with a 'mind control beam' turret, eleven failed counterfeit copy attempts of the 1965 Chevy Corvair powered by modified 2-stroke tractor engines, and 250,000 rolls of canvas motivational political posters encouraging the collective student youth to vigorously meet the goals of the 1966 sorghum and okra harvest requirements as set down by the Central Committee's agricultural bureau.
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