The company Virgin Galactic, the British billionaire Richard Branson December 12 held another test SpaceShipTwo series spacecraft Unity in the sky over New Mexico
However, the test was unsuccessful.
“The fuel ignition sequence in the rocket engine came out incomplete. The launch vehicle and its crew are in excellent condition. Several completed engines are available at Spaceport America. We will carry out an inspection of the spacecraft and will make a new flight soon”, – the company said on Twitter.
The carrier with the spacecraft, which was attached to the bottom, launched in New Mexico at 10:24 a.m.. At an altitude of 12.1km, Unity separated from the aircraft, started its engine, but shut it down a second later. Instead of gaining altitude, the spacecraft made a downward gliding flight, landing in a New Mexico spaceport.
SpaceShipTwo is being developed for regular suborbital tourist flights. The developers plan to build five such vehicles by 2023.