EXPLAINED: How Virgin Space Plane Went Off Course And Why It May Derail Richard Branson's Plans

He managed to pip fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos to the edge of space, but in doing so Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic may have fallen foul of strict aviation guidelines that ensure the safety of space missions. Virgin Galactic may not return the SpaceShipTwo vehicle to flight until the FAA approves the final mishap investigation report or determines the issues related to the mishap do not affect public safety,” the US aviation watchdog said without revealeing further details. The report said that not only did the incorrect flight of the Virgin Galactic flight have the potential to jeopardise the mission, by veering outside its demarcated air space — the corridor, if you will, within which the flight was to operate — it also posed a threat to any aircraft that may have been moving in the vicinity. In contrast, the Virgin Galactic flight has two sets of pilots, one for the mothership and the other on the vessel that carries the space passengers, christened Unity. On September 2, Virgin Galactic announced its “next rocket-powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo Unity… which will be the first commercial, human-tended research mission for the company”.