Today, Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites encountered a tragic in-flight anomaly resulting in the death of the pilot and injuring a second. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of those affected and offer our wishes for a swift and complete recovery for the injured pilot.
Right now, Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites are working with the team at Mojave Air & Space Port and local authorities to secure the site and ensure the safety of all those involved in the recovery and investigation. It is far too early to know the details of what happened. CSF will provides updates as they come in.
“Today, we are tragically reminded of the tremendous challenges that we face every day in our efforts to push the envelope of human experience and capability in space enterprise and exploration,” said Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Eric Stallmer. “The precious life that was lost cannot be replaced and will never be forgotten. The courage of both pilots will serve as inspiration for us all to continue to meet the challenges of spaceflight with clear focus and determination in order to make it as safe and reliable as possible.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Associate Director Sirisha Bandla at sirisha@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.715.2928.
