In its initial statement Wednesday afternoon, the company defended the safety of the flight, which had been dubbed “Unity 22,” saying it was discussing what it called “the misleading characterizations and conclusions” of Schmidle’s article.
“Unity 22 was a safe and successful test flight that adhered to our flight procedures and training protocols. When the vehicle encountered high-altitude winds that changed course, pilots and systems monitored. the trajectory to make sure it stays within the parameters of the mission, ”the company said. dit.
“Although the final flight path deviated from our initial plan, it was a controlled and intentional flight route that allowed Unity 22 to successfully reach space and land safely in our New Mexico spaceport. “At no time were the passengers and crew endangered as a result of this change of course,” he added.
The statement added that the spacecraft pilots encountered high-altitude winds and “responded adequately to these changing flight conditions.”
But in an independent statement in response to the FAA investigation, he also acknowledged that the flight “deviated from our initial plan” and that the probe fell below the altitude at which it was approved to fly during a minute and 41 seconds.
“At no time did the ship travel above any population center or cause any danger to the public,” the company added. “FAA representatives were present in our control room during the flight and in the post-flight reports. We are working in collaboration with the FAA to address airspace for future flights.”
Virgin Galactic did not answer follow-up questions about the warning lights reported in the probe’s cockpit during Branson’s flight.
The vehicle’s awkward orientation caused the vehicle to retreat to Earth, which could have forced it to make an emergency landing in the new Mexican desert, according to the article.
The new report adds to several collections of bombs that Schmidle has had on the company’s security record, which its executives and public relations officials have tried to sweep under the rug to save face among Virgin Galactic’s wealthy clientele and potential space travelers.
“This should have been a time of coming to Jesus, not the kind of thing being done under the rug,” Todd Ericson, former vice president of security at Virgin Galactic, told Schmidle last year. then resigned from the company.
Neither the FAA nor Virgin Galactic publicly revealed the issues associated with the 2019 flight or the Branson flight.
The FAA did not respond to requests for additional comments.