Michael Alsbury – Spaceflight Now

May 15, 2026

Breaking News

[ May 14, 2026 ] ULA confirms successful solid rocket booster test as Vulcan anomaly investigation continues News
[ May 12, 2026 ] SpaceX targets May 19 for debut of Starship Version 3, Launch Pad 2 Mission Reports
[ May 12, 2026 ] For a second time, poor weather scrubs Cargo Dragon mission launch to the space station Falcon 9
[ May 11, 2026 ] SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office Falcon 9
[ May 8, 2026 ] Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone 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.