Statement on pilots
Branson publishes a statement about the two pilots of SpaceShipTwo. About Alsbury, the co-pilot who was killed:
Someone asked if I knew him. Sadly, I did not know him – because he worked for Scaled Composites – but I had had the privilege of shaking his hand briefly after he’d co-piloted SpaceShipTwo’s first powered flight and on that exciting morning in Mojave I had congratulated him on the achievement.
On Siebold:
I do have the privilege of knowing Pete Siebold, Scaled’s injured test pilot. Pete is Scaled’s director of flight operations and among the incredibly dedicated and talented team helping to realize so many people’s dreams of reaching space. We all wish him a speedy recovery.