From the ashes: New spaceship restores hope after Virgin Galactic crash

Virgin Galactic could resume test flights as early as next summer if the replacement craft it’s working on can be finished in time. However, George Whitesides, the CEO of the space tourism company, said there’s much more to be done on the new craft, from relatively simple things such as installing windows to the more complex fitting of flight controls and other wiring. The ship—dubbed SpaceShipTwo Serial No. 2—will replace one that was destroyed in California’s Mojave Desert last week after its feathering system that controls descent deployed prematurely and aerodynamic forces ripped it apart, killing the co-pilot and seriously injuring the pilot. In the wake of the accident, workers have focused on building the new ship.

That’s provided some solace to all of us, and I think there’s sort of a therapeutic benefit to folks to be able to put their energies into constructive work.

George Whitesides, Virgin Galactic CEO

Test flights for the next spaceship could begin within six months, before the investigation into the deadly crash is expected to conclude, Whitesides said. When the new ship is ready next year, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it will conduct a more extensive review to ensure whatever caused last week’s mishap has been addressed before allowing test flights to resume. Virgin Galactic has hopes of one day being able to manufacture at least one new ship a year. It envisions flights with six passengers climbing 100 kilometres above Earth. Whitesides said the accident has been tough on many levels, but he refused to see it as a roadblock and said the company does not have to start from scratch.

There was no question it was a tragic setback, but it’s one from which we can recover.

George Whitesides