Explosion at Scaled Composites Rocket Facility!

[Tuckerfan]

2 dead 4 injured.

Two people were killed and four others were critically injured this afternoon in an explosion at a test site for small rocket engines at Mojave Airport in Kern County, authorities said.

The explosion, which was apparently ignited by a tank of nitrous oxide, occurred at 2:45 p.m., authorities said. It happened at what officials said was a remote section at the southeastern edge of the airport.

That’s horrible for all kinds of reasons.

[Darryl_Lict]

Well, it’s probably a good thing for Burt that he sold to Northrop. This is really a bummer. I hope they survive this accident and continue forward. I saw the second flight of Space Ship One live in Mojave, and it was completely inspirational.

[N9IWP]

Coincidence?

Brian
(not seriously saying the sale / explosion are related)

[Johnny_L.A]

You all know my history re: flying and flight test in the high desert.

I agree that this is Bad News. Let’s hope they find the cause, fix the problem, and continue forward. It’s not like the old days at Muroc/early-Edwards. People seem to be much less tolerant of accidents nowadays.

[Tuckerfan]

It appears one of the injured employees didn’t make it.

Three employees of a pioneering spaceship company were killed and another three badly hurt when a propellant system blew up during testing in California yesterday.

The explosion happened at Mojave Air and Space Port at about 2:30pm local time. It is believed to have involved a tank of nitrous oxide, to be used as fuel in the forthcoming SpaceShip Two rocket-plane.

In the past, Rutan has said, “We’re not killing enough astronauts.” meaning that when you push the envelope, people can get killed, so hopefully he’s not going to allow this to slow them down any more than necessary.

[Johnny_L.A]

Cosmic Log at MSNBC.