US FAA Investigates July 11 Virgin Galactic Flight Diversion

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Reuters) – The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday said it was investigating the descent of the July 11 flight of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane carrying the British billionaire Richard Branson.

New Yorker magazine earlier reported that the FAA was investigating the Virgin Galactic ship’s off-course descent. An FAA spokesperson told Reuters that the vehicle “deviated from its air traffic control clearance upon return to Spaceport America. The FAA investigation is ongoing.”

Reporting by David Shepardson, editing by Rosalba O’Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.