Problems with one part of that “bomb”, the rubber solid fuel, prompted the engineers to switch to a plastic version, which was tested for the first time on Friday.
Despite this being the first test of a key element of any rocket, Sir Richard told the FT in an interview published on Friday that he expected he would go into space in March.
Dr Sten Odenwald, a Nasa consultant, said: “My big concern is that with business enterprises there’s always a model that pushes you to develop as quickly as possible, whereas the pressure for speed in a government programme is not nearly as great.”
Professor Tim O’Brien, associate director of the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, said space flight was “a real challenge” and “not a joyride”.
Article Appeared @http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/virgin-galactic-crash-space-flight-is-real-challenge-experts-tell-defiant-branson-9833545.html