NEXT SPACEFLIGHT
NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Suborbital
Failure

PF04

Launch Time
Fri Oct 31, 2014 16:18 UTC

Fourth powered flight of VSS Enterprise. The feathering mechanism on the wings unintentionally activated during powered flight and the spaceplane was torn apart. Co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed and pilot Peter Siebold was severely injured.

Rocket

SpaceShipTwo
Image Credit: Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic
Status: Active
Payload to LEO: 0 kg
Payload to GTO: 0 kg
Stages: 1
Strap-ons: 0
Details

Vehicles

Mojave Air and Space Port

VSS Enterprise

Flight #4
294 day turnaround
Manifest

Mission Details

PF04

The test flight was the aircraft's first powered flight in nine months and was to include the first flight testing of a new, more powerful and steadier-thrust hybrid rocket engine whose fuel grain was composed of nylon instead of rubber. The flight was the aircraft's 55th, and its 35th free flight. VSS Enterprise was crewed by pilot Peter Siebold and co-pilot Michael Alsbury.

Location

VMS Eve, Mojave Air and Space Port, California, USA

Wiki

Stats

SpaceShipTwo

4th mission
2nd mission of 2014
1st failed mission