The deadly explosion happened at the rocket-testing facilities of Mojave Desert Air and Space Port, killing three of six employees of Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites were testing components of a new rocket motor for SpaceShipTwo, a spaceship being built for Sir Richard Branson's space tourism company Virgin Galactic. The blast occurred during a 'cold fire' test involving nitrous oxide flowing through fuel injectors.
Mojave Desert Air and Space Port is an important part of the unincorporated community of about 4,000 people. The airport employs about 1,500 people, and is the USA's first inland spaceport certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The airport has been a popular location of movie and television production. Part of "Speed" was filmed at the airport — a Boeing 707 was blown up in a scene that was supposed to be Los Angeles International Airport.
Scroll down for more after-explosion pictures.
