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| Virgin Galactic crash: Descent system 'deployed early' | Virgin Galactic crash: Descent system 'deployed early' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A safety device on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that crashed on Friday killing a test pilot had been deployed early, US investigators say. | A safety device on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that crashed on Friday killing a test pilot had been deployed early, US investigators say. |
| Air safety chief Christopher Hart said the "feathering" device, designed to slow the craft on re-entry, activated without a command from the pilots. | Air safety chief Christopher Hart said the "feathering" device, designed to slow the craft on re-entry, activated without a command from the pilots. |
| But he said it was too soon to confirm any possible cause of the crash. | But he said it was too soon to confirm any possible cause of the crash. |
| Media reports had focused on the fuel tanks and the engine, but Mr Hart said both were found intact. | Media reports had focused on the fuel tanks and the engine, but Mr Hart said both were found intact. |
| Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson accused a "handful of British newspapers" of publishing "wild accusations" over the crash. | Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson accused a "handful of British newspapers" of publishing "wild accusations" over the crash. |
| He said initial findings from US investigators had shown reports that suggested problems with the fuel or engine had caused an explosion were "garbage". | He said initial findings from US investigators had shown reports that suggested problems with the fuel or engine had caused an explosion were "garbage". |
| "Rumours and innuendo from self-proclaimed experts can be put back in their box," he told the BBC. | "Rumours and innuendo from self-proclaimed experts can be put back in their box," he told the BBC. |
| Sir Richard said that he would not send tourists into space until he and his family members had made the trip. He described the accident as a "horrible setback". | Sir Richard said that he would not send tourists into space until he and his family members had made the trip. He described the accident as a "horrible setback". |
| Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 (£156,000) each. | Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 (£156,000) each. |
| Analysis: Jon Amos, BBC science correspondent | Analysis: Jon Amos, BBC science correspondent |
| In normal flight, the feathering device is deployed when the ship has reached its highest altitude, after the spaceship has broken through the atmosphere. The twin tailbooms on the craft are rotated 90 degrees, from the horizontal to the vertical. | In normal flight, the feathering device is deployed when the ship has reached its highest altitude, after the spaceship has broken through the atmosphere. The twin tailbooms on the craft are rotated 90 degrees, from the horizontal to the vertical. |
| The effect is to make the returning spaceship behave much like a shuttlecock. | The effect is to make the returning spaceship behave much like a shuttlecock. |
| As the air gets thicker on the descent and rushes over the booms, the drag on the vehicle means it naturally adopts a belly-down position ready for the glide back home - just as the feathers always ensure forward-facing flight for the conical projectile used in a game of badminton. | As the air gets thicker on the descent and rushes over the booms, the drag on the vehicle means it naturally adopts a belly-down position ready for the glide back home - just as the feathers always ensure forward-facing flight for the conical projectile used in a game of badminton. |
| Feathering gets around the need for a complicated system of small thrusters that would otherwise be required to put the rocket plane into the correct re-entry attitude. | Feathering gets around the need for a complicated system of small thrusters that would otherwise be required to put the rocket plane into the correct re-entry attitude. |
| The system worked to great effect on the prototype SpaceShipOne when it made its flights to suborbital space 10 years ago. | The system worked to great effect on the prototype SpaceShipOne when it made its flights to suborbital space 10 years ago. |
| Virgin's 'feathering' system | Virgin's 'feathering' system |
| Mr Hart, from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told reporters that the feathering device was supposed to be activated at Mach 1.4 (1,065mph; 1,715km/h), but had been deployed at Mach 1 during the test flight. | Mr Hart, from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told reporters that the feathering device was supposed to be activated at Mach 1.4 (1,065mph; 1,715km/h), but had been deployed at Mach 1 during the test flight. |
| He said one of the pilots had enabled the device, but the second stage of its deployment had happened "without being commanded". | He said one of the pilots had enabled the device, but the second stage of its deployment had happened "without being commanded". |
| "Shortly after the feathering occurred, the telemetry data terminated and the video data terminated," he said. | "Shortly after the feathering occurred, the telemetry data terminated and the video data terminated," he said. |
| The feathering device lifts and rotates the tail to create drag, slowing the craft on its descent. | The feathering device lifts and rotates the tail to create drag, slowing the craft on its descent. |
| He said SpaceShipTwo's fuel tanks and engine were found intact, without any sign of being breached. | He said SpaceShipTwo's fuel tanks and engine were found intact, without any sign of being breached. |
| NTSB investigators have now found almost all of the parts of the crashed spacecraft as part of an inquiry they say could take many months to complete. | NTSB investigators have now found almost all of the parts of the crashed spacecraft as part of an inquiry they say could take many months to complete. |
| SpaceShipTwo was making its first test flight for nine months when it crashed near the Californian town of Bakersfield. | |
| Virgin Galactic said the craft experienced "a serious anomaly" after it separated from launch vehicle WhiteKnightTwo. | Virgin Galactic said the craft experienced "a serious anomaly" after it separated from launch vehicle WhiteKnightTwo. |
| The spacecraft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing. | The spacecraft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing. |
| The pilots | The pilots |
| Michael Alsbury: Aged 39, 15 years of flying experience, first flew in SpaceShipTwo in 2010 | Michael Alsbury: Aged 39, 15 years of flying experience, first flew in SpaceShipTwo in 2010 |
| Peter Siebold: Aged 43, received pilot's licence when just 16, had spent 2,000 hours in 35 different fixed-wing aircraft | Peter Siebold: Aged 43, received pilot's licence when just 16, had spent 2,000 hours in 35 different fixed-wing aircraft |
| Will crash set back space tourism? | Will crash set back space tourism? |
| The project has been subject to numerous delays, and its commercial launch has been pushed back several times. | The project has been subject to numerous delays, and its commercial launch has been pushed back several times. |
| The Financial Times reported that the venture is facing financial difficulties - with $400m in funding from Abu Dhabi now dried up and Virgin Group covering the day-to-day expenses. | The Financial Times reported that the venture is facing financial difficulties - with $400m in funding from Abu Dhabi now dried up and Virgin Group covering the day-to-day expenses. |
| The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was 39-year-old Michael Alsbury. | The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was 39-year-old Michael Alsbury. |
| Scaled Composites, the company employing both pilots, said surviving pilot Peter Siebold, 43, was "alert and talking with his family and doctors". | Scaled Composites, the company employing both pilots, said surviving pilot Peter Siebold, 43, was "alert and talking with his family and doctors". |