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A protracted-awaited rocket-powered flight over the southern New Mexico desert on Saturday was a lot shorter than Virgin Galactic and its founder, Richard Branson, had hoped for.
The firm’s WhiteKnightTwo plane took off from the Spaceport America spaceport at 7:24 a.m. PT (8:24 a.m. MT), carrying the passenger spacecraft SpaceShipTwo Unity. The pair then spent about 45 minutes climbing to launch altitude at greater than 40,000 toes (12,192 meters).
About 50 minutes after takeoff, a livestream from NASASpaceflight.com appeared to point out Unity separating and its rocket engine firing for almost a second earlier than shutting down early.
“After being released from its mothership, SpaceShipTwo Unity’s onboard computer that monitors the rocket motor lost connection,” the corporate reported afterward Twitter. “As designed, this triggered a fail-safe scenario that intentionally halted ignition of the rocket motor.”
Unity glided again for a touchdown at Spaceport America, and the corporate confirmed that each one pilots and autos are protected and safe.
“As we do with every test flight, we are evaluating all the data, including the root cause assessment of the computer communication loss,” the firm added. “We look forward to sharing information on our next flight window in the near future.”
After years of growth and delays attributable to a deadly accident and now the COVID-19 pandemic, the corporate’s hope to ship Branson after which paying prospects to area by 2020 had already been dashed even earlier than this aborted take a look at flight.
Virgin has accomplished powered take a look at flights from California. But it goals to carry out two take a look at flights from its business residence base in New Mexico earlier than Branson lastly will get to take the joyride he is been ready (and paying) for for the reason that firm’s founding in 2004.
Saturday’s flight was additionally carrying some small payloads for NASA. It’s not but clear when the corporate will strive once more.
(This story has not been edited by Newslivenation employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)