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[UPDATED] Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Has Just Suffered a Crash During Test Flight [Developing]

First Feather Flight (FF01) of SpaceShipTwo
UPDATE: Press conference live video:

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo spaceplane—designed for space tourism—has just crashed. Virgin Galactic has been keeping everyone apprised of the situation via Twitter:

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According to TechCrunch, at least two pilots were on the spacecraft when it went down, but there have been unverified reports suggesting parachutes were spotted, so we hope for the best. WhiteKnightTwo, the vehicle that carries the spaceplane up into the atmosphere where it detaches and fires up its own rocket engine, landed safely. We’ll know more when Virgin Galactic holds a press conference at 2PM PST and update this information. Updates: #1: From NBC News: “A source at the Kern County Sheriff’s Department told NBC News that two parachutes were deployed after the anomaly.” #2:

#3: THR has received that information as well: “At 10:50 am SpaceShipTwo crashed in the Mojave desert, with one of the pilots confirmed dead and the other suffering ‘moderate to major’ injuries, Sgt. M. Singer, of the California Highway Patrol, told THR.” (via TechCrunch, image via Virgin Galactic)

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Dan Van Winkle
Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct <em>Geekosystem</em> (RIP), and then at <em>The Mary Sue</em> starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at <em>Smash Bros.</em>

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