In what could be a major setback for commercial space tourism, a manned spaceship has crashed in California.
The Virgin Galactic Spaceship Two was on a test flight this morning, with two pilots aboard. Minutes after its rocket fired, the company announced on Twitter that spacecraft experienced an "anomaly."
#SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly. Additional info and statement forthcoming.
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) October 31, 2014
Local authorities confirm that an aircraft has gone down. The AP reports that one pilot has been killed.
BREAKING: California Highway Patrol reports 1 fatality, 1 major injury after SpaceShipTwo accident.
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 31, 2014
SpaceShip Two doesn't go all the way into orbit. But the goal is to fly into space for brief tourist trips. The trips will cost $250,000 a piece, and more than 700 people have already put down deposits.
Virgin Galactic