SpaceShipTwo braking system was activated too early

The system that is supposed to slow down Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo before reentering the atmosphere was prematurely activated during last week’s fatal test flight. It is too early to say whether that was the cause of the accident.

Research by the US National Transportation Safety Board shows that the feathering function was already unlocked while the vehicle was flying just above the speed of sound, while the system should not be unlocked until Mach 1.4, Sky News reports. A pilot would have unlocked the system. However, it is unclear why the braking system was subsequently activated; that wouldn’t have been done by either pilot.

The braking system must slow down the SpaceShipTwo before the vehicle returns to Earth’s atmosphere. To do this, a rudder is turned 90 degrees. The system must be activated in two steps to avoid accidental activation. However, the head of the NTSB, Christopher Hart, emphasizes that it is not yet known whether the braking system activated too early contributed to the crash. The braking system has been used successfully since 2011.

The NTSB has since collected all the important parts of the spacecraft and is now going to analyze them. The fuel tanks and engine would show no signs of fire or other defects, making it unlikely that they caused the accident.

Last week, the SpaceShipTwo broke up in mid-air, after which the craft crashed into Earth. One of the test pilots was killed; the other used his ejection seat to escape, but was seriously injured in the process. Virgin Galactic, which wants to offer space flights for tourists with the SpaceShipTwo, wants to continue with the program despite the crash.