Pilot dies in crash of Virgin Galactic rocket plane

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashed during a powered test flight over California’s Mojave Desert on Friday, leaving one pilot dead and another seriously injured.

One of the spacecraft’s two pilots died in the crash, and the other crewman was injured and transported to a local hospital, according to Stuart Witt, CEO of the

Mojave Air and Space Port, where the flight originated.

Officials did not identify the people aboard SpaceShipTwo, but the pilots were employees of Scaled Composites, the company that built the rocket plane, according to Kevin Mickey, Scaled’s president.

“We are human, and it hurts,” Witt said. “Our hearts, thoughts, prayers are absolutely with the families and the victims.”

The anomaly apparently occurred after the space plane fired its rocket

motor following a high-altitude drop from Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo mothership at 10:10 a.m. PDT (1:10 p.m. EDT; 1710 GMT).

Moments later, something went wrong and officials declared an emergency, Witt said.

“Our primary thoughts at this moment are with the crew and family, and we’re doing everything we can for them now,” said George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic.