Michael Alsbury – Spaceflight Now

August 16, 2025

Breaking News

[ August 14, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Falcon 9
[ August 13, 2025 ] ULA launches Vulcan rocket on first Space Force mission Mission Reports
[ August 12, 2025 ] Launch preview: ULA to launch first national security mission on a Vulcan rocket Mission Reports
[ August 10, 2025 ] SpaceX launches Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites on fifth scheduled attempt Falcon 9
[ August 9, 2025 ] Crew 10 returns to Earth with Pacific Ocean splashdown Mission Reports

SpaceShipTwo mishap due to pilot error and company training oversight

July 28, 2015 William Harwood

The fatal in-flight breakup of Virgin Galactic’s futuristic SpaceShipTwo rocket plane during a test flight last October was the result of pilot error, possibly triggered by a high workload, unfamiliar vibration and rapid acceleration, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Tuesday.

2014’s top stories in spaceflight

December 30, 2014 Spaceflight Now

The year ended with a deluge of big news, reminding us of the risks of spaceflight and the thin margins between success and failure on the final frontier. 2014 was also a year of breakthroughs in the exploration of the solar system and the future of human spaceflight.