Explosion at Rocket Test Site Kills 2

An explosion killed two people Thursday afternoon at a California test site operated by space entrepreneur Burt Rutan.

At least four people were injured in the blast, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Scaled Composites — a Rutan company — tests small rocket engines at Mojave Airport in Kern County. Northrop Grumman, which owns 40 percent of the company, plans to buy the rest of it.

The explosion, which occurred at about 2:45 p.m. in an isolated part of the airport, is believed to have started with a tank of nitrous oxide.

Rutan is an advocate of private space flight. He designed the rocket that made the first private manned flight in 2004.