The spaceplane’s engine cut out too early and the vehicle’s two pilots had to glide back down to the ground early this morning. Richard Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic had to abandon its first powered test flight of its spaceplane from the company’s home in New Mexico.

A live video shows the spaceplane dropping away from its carrier aircraft in mid-air as planned. The vehicle then briefly ignited its main engine, but the ignition cut out after just a moment. On a typical flight, the spaceplane’s engine will stay ignited for a full minute, propelling the vehicle to the edge of space.

Vss unity turned into a glider and returned to its launch site in New Mexico. The aircraft’s two pilots made it’safe and sound’.

The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete. The vehicle and crew are in great shape. We have several Motors ready at spaceport America.

The previous two test flights took place from the Mojave air and spaceport out of California. Virgin Galactic moved its operations to the company’s new, primary home, Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert.

Virgin Galactic has conducted a few glide flights of VSS unity from spaceport America. The vehicle has yet to reach space from the facility. Branson, the company’s founder, is supposed to take his first flight next year.

Virgin Galactic flew its first test passenger on the company’s second spaceflight in February of 2019. The company has yet to fly a full cabin on one of these trips.

Vss unity is a carrier aircraft called VMs Eve. It takes off in mid-air to get back to space. The engine shuts off and passengers experience weightlessness.

Virgin Galactic had hoped to fly this test a few weeks earlier, but had to delay after New covid-19 restrictions were introduced in New Mexico. No guests or members of the press were allowed to witness the flight from the spaceport.