spacetoday.net: Investigators: SpaceShipTwo feathering system deployed prematurely

Posted: Mon, Nov 3, 2014, 10:04 AM ET (1504 GMT)
SpaceShipTwo in first feathered glide flight (Virgin Galactic/Clay Observatory)

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said late Sunday that data they have collected indicates that SpaceShipTwo's feathering system appeared to deploy while the vehicle was in powered flight on its fatal October 31 test flight. The NTSB said that telemetry from SpaceShipTwo, as well as cockpit video, showed that the co-pilot unlocked the feathering system nine seconds into powered flight. The pilots did not move another handle to deploy the feathering system, but the NTSB said the feathering mechanism extended two seconds after unlocking. The feathering system is designed to raise the vehicle's twin tail booms during reentry to provide increased drag and stable flight. The NTSB said the vehicle's hybrid rocket motor, which had previously been the subject of speculation about the accident, performed normally, and investigators said engine components recovered in the debris were intact with no evidence of burn-through.