Space flight engineering progress

Copyright © 2021 Albuquerque Journal Virgin Galactic has postponed its next attempt to reach space from southern New Mexico until May to allow engineers to first fully correct technical problems that led to failure of the VSS Unity’s last attempted spaceflight in December. After extensive analysis, the company found that electromagnetic interference caused the spaceship’s onboard computer to reboot during its flight in December, triggering a safety mechanism that immediately shut down the rocket motor and forced the ship’s two pilots to abort the mission and glide back to Earth. ................................................................ The company is now testing and installing new components to eliminate electromagnetic interference before attempting another rocket-powered flight from Spaceport America, which could take about two months, Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said during a year-end earnings call with investors Thursday.