Virgin Galactic test flight ends prematurely with rocket mishap

'The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete,' Virgin Galactic said

The interior cabin of space tourism firm Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is seen in an artist's rendition released July 28, 2020. Virgin Galactic/Handout via Reuters

The interior cabin of space tourism firm Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is seen in an artist's rendition released July 28, 2020. Virgin Galactic/AP

The interior cabin of space tourism firm Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is seen in an artist's rendition. Virgin Galactic via Reuters

Virgin Galactic SpaceshipTwo Unity flies free in the New Mexico Airspace for the first time on May 1, 2020. AP

Virgin Galactic is set to make its first commercial space flights in 2020. Courtesy Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic's Spaceflight System as it prepares for flight at Spaceport America in the desert near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. AFP

An aerial view of the horizontal launch area at Spaceport America, including the Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space, Spaceport Operations Center, Taxiway V and Spaceway 16-34. Courtesy Spaceport America

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. The company will be first space tourism firm to be publically listed. Reuters

A view from the edge of space is seen from the cockpit of Virgin Galactic's manned space tourism rocket plane SpaceShipTwo during a space test flight over Mojave, California, US, December 13, 2018. Virgin Galactic/Handout via Reuters

A view from SpaceShipTwo, a rocket plane designed for space tourism, during a test flight in the edge of space, around 51 miles (or 81km) over California, USA, 13 December 2018. EPA/Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic's SpaceshipTwo launches for a suborbital test flight on December 13, 2018, in Mojave, California. AFP

A Virgin Galactic test flight ended prematurely as the spacecraft’s rocket motor failed to ignite and it then glided down safely to its landing site in southern New Mexico.

The spacecraft’s engine is supposed to ignite moments after it is released from a special carrier jet, sending the craft in a near-vertical climb towards the edge of space.

“The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete. Vehicle and crew are in great shape,” Virgin Galactic said in a brief statement on Twitter.

“We have several motors ready at Spaceport America. We will check the vehicle and be back to flight soon.”

The hour-long flight was the first from Virgin Galactic’s new headquarters at Spaceport America, a futuristic desert outpost.

Before first announcing the spacecraft’s safe return to land and then the problem with the rocket, Virgin Galactic’s updates on Twitter about the flight’s progress were cryptic and sparse during a 15-minute period that began with an announcement that the spacecraft was “go for release” from the aircraft that carried it to the release altitude.

The company has said previously that release of the spacecraft from the aircraft would occur at about 15.2km.

At that point, the spaceship would enter a gentle glide and that within seconds the rocket motor would be fired and the spaceship’s nose pitched to a near-vertical climb towards space.

The suborbital flights are designed to reach an altitude of at least 80.5km before gliding to a landing.

After delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and some dicey weather earlier this week, the crew had been cleared for a morning launch amid clear conditions.

The spaceship was crewed by two pilots. There was payload belonging to Nasa on-board but no passengers.

The next phase of final testing for the Virgin Galactic team will involve company mission specialists and engineers being loaded into the spaceship’s passenger cabin for powered flights. They will evaluate all the hardware, camera settings and which angles will provide the best views.

The company has yet to announce a firm date for its first commercial flight.

More than 600 customers from around the world have purchased tickets to be launched into the lower fringes of space where they can experience weightlessness and get a view of the Earth below.