2 killed, 4 injured in explosion at rocket test site in Mojave
>>Couldn't find a prior post. Sad about the deaths and injuries. Hope things will be alright for Burt Rutan.
Two people were killed and four others were critically injured this afternoon in an explosion at a test site for small rocket engines at Mojave Airport in Kern County, authorities said.
The explosion, which was apparently ignited by a tank of nitrous oxide, occurred at 2:45 p.m., authorities said. It happened at what officials said was a remote section at the northeastern edge of the airport.
Mike Potter, who operates P & M Aircraft Co., about a half mile away, said one of his workers called him from the yard to tell him about the explosion.
It occurred at rocket engine testing facility run by Scaled Composites, operated by space entrepreneur Burt Rutan, who built the rocket that made the first private manned space flight on June 21, 2004. Century City-based Northrop Grumman, already a 40% owner of the company, recently agreed to buy the rest of the business.
"An employee called and said there's been an explosion over at Scaled and there was a huge sound wave," Potter said. "Shortly thereafter, the cops were all over the place."
latimes.com