The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has closed its mishap investigation into the July 11 Virgin Galactic Unity 22 launch
The Virgin Galactic aircraft had deviated from its assigned airspace on its descent
The FAA stated that Virgin Galactic had implemented changes that the agency had required upon how it communicates during flight.
The authority then confirmed that the Richard Branson backed company will be allowed to resume operations.
The FAA investigation:
The government investigation found the Virgin Galactic spacecraft had deviated from its assigned airspace upon its descent from space and the company failed to communicate the deviation to the FAA as required.
Virgin Galactic confirmed earlier this month it was planning another SpaceShipTwo flight from New Mexico, Unity 23, pending technical checks and weather. That flight is to carry three crew from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council, it added.
Virgin Galactic confirmed the FAA had accepted the corrective actions it proposed
The space company include updated calculations to expand the protected airspace for future flights and additional steps in the company’s flight procedures to ensure real-time mission notifications to FAA Air Traffic Control.
“The updates to our airspace and real-time mission notification protocols will strengthen our preparations as we move closer to the commercial launch of our spaceflight experience,” said Virgin Galactic Chief Executive Michael Colglazier.
Richard Branson was among six Virgin Galactic employees who took part in the July 2021 space mission, soaring more than 80 km above the New Mexico desert.
Anthony Lucas is reporter, presenter and social media producer with ticker News. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Professional Communication, with a major in Journalism from RMIT University as well as a Diploma of Arts and Entertainment journalism from Collarts. He’s previously worked for 9 News, ONE FM Radio and Southern Cross Austerio’s Hit Radio Network.
As frustrated customers take their anger out on the remaining airport checkin staff, airline executives are being forced onto the front line to face customers.
The return of summer in Europe has been overshadowed by travel chaos, leaving passengers frustrated and often out of pocket.
Thousands of people have been left to battle airport queues that last hours, long delays and thousands of cancellations.
Airports and airlines face staff shortages forcing them to reduce the number of scheduled flights – often at short notice.
It’s a global problem, with airports and airlines rushing to hire back the thousands of positions they axed at the start of covid.
But how do you do it, and how long until things return to normal?
New reports reveal that Facebook has handed over data to police to help criminally punish a teenager for seeking to get an abortion
The tech giant turned Celeste Burgess’ Facebook message’s into the authorities, where she is being charged for “removing and abandoning a dead human body.”
The 17-year-old lives in Nebraska where abortion isn’t illegal, but the abortion happened via medication at 23 weeks.
Nebraska has a 20 week pregnancy cut off date, and the medication also warns against medical abortion past this time.
The teen’s mother is also facing 5 charges.
This comes amid widespread controversy after the historic Roe v Wade ruling was overturned in the United States.