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Back-to-Back Spacecraft Disasters: What Went Wrong?

There's no question that flight experimentation comes at great risk and often great reward. But this week, back-to-back spacecraft disasters have investigators looking into what went wrong.

We told you about the rocket that exploded upon takeoff last week. Orbital Sciences, a company that has a subcontract with NASA to fly cargo to space, says that the rocket's flight termination system engaged shortly after launch. The rocket was carrying food, water and equipment to the international space station.

Don't worry, the astronauts aboard the space station are in no danger of running out of supplies. A Russian resupply vehicle successfully docked at the ISS shortly after the failed launch last week.

Orbital Sciences is one of a number of private companies employed by NASA as a part of a push for a more commercially oriented space program. They act as a subcontractor. This is when an individual or in this case, a business, carries out work for a company as part of a larger project.

Just days after the failed rocket launch, another spacecraft disaster is under investigation.

Virgin Galactic's SpaceshipTwo exploded in the air during a test flight in the California desert. It's the same vessel that's supposed to take paying customers, including top celebrities, on brief rides into space.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340