Virgin Galactic rocket explodes in flight over Mojave Desert, witness says

MOJAVE DESERT -- Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space tourism rocket exploded in flight after the ignition of the rocket, according to a witness. The accident over the Mojave Desert killed one person and injured another.

Kern County fire officials responded to a report of an aircraft down in the Mojave Desert between Highway 395 and Highway 14 on Garlock Road just after 10 a.m. One person was declared dead, and one person suffered major injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol. Rescue crews were seen putting someone on a stretcher and transporting them by helicopter.

Ken Brown, a photographer who witnessed the crash, said the space tourism craft exploded after it was released from a plane that carries it to a high altitude.

Debris from SpaceShipTwo was seen in the Mojave from AIR7 HD.

Virgin Galactic issued the following statement on the company's Website:

"Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo earlier today. During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of the vehicle. Our first concern is the status of the pilots, which is unknown at this time. We will work closely with the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the accident and provide updates as soon as we are able to do so".

SpaceShipTwo has been under development at Mojave Air and Spaceport in the desert northeast of Los Angeles.

SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by a specially designed jet and then released before igniting its rocket for suborbital thrill ride into space and then a return to Earth as a glider.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.