Before SpaceShipTwo can fly again, the FAA will first approve the "final mishap investiga report".
Grounded
According to Bloomberg, Virgin Galactic is being grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration until further notice. This follows a disturbing report that Virgin Galactic pilots ignored a red warning light during CEO Richard Branson's maiden voyage in July.
The FAA stated that Virgin Galactic might not return the SpaceShipTwo vessel to flight until the FAA approves or determines that the issues related the mishap do no affect public safety. Bloomberg obtained a Bloomberg statement.
Nicholas Schmidle's Wednesday report in The New Yorker revealed that Branson was aboard the company's spaceplane and it veered off course. According to reports, pilots ignored a red light that should have alerted them to shut off their engines during ascent.
This is a worrying turn by a company that aims to establish space tourism. It also shows that US regulators are paying close attention to US citizens and ready to intervene if necessary, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is well aware.
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Veering Off
Virgin Galactics SpaceShipTwo class spacecraft VSS Unity was launched from the VMS Eve, a larger aircraft, at an altitude approximately 50,000 feet during the July flight. The small spacecraft was then carried by rockets on a trajectory that reached the upper atmosphere.
The spacecraft seems to have diverted from its intended course, spending full time outside the airspace defined by the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to The New Yorker Virgin Galactic did not inform the FAA about the sudden change in plans.
According to Schmidle's statement, the company claims that the launch was a safe, successful, and compliant test flight. Schmidle also noted that the trajectories were within mission parameters.
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Virgin Galactic's next scheduled flight is likely to be delayed now that the FAA has grounded it indefinitely. It was planned to send several members from the Italian Air Force into space later in the month. The FAA must give the green light for this to happen.
READ MORE: FAA Grounds Virgin Galactic Probe of Richard Bransons July Fly [Bloomberg]
SpaceX may be forced to tear down its Starship Launch Tower by the FAA
