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A pilot was killed and another injured as Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space tourism craft crashed in the California desert, the BBC reported.

The craft was flying a manned test when it experienced what the company described as "a serious anomaly."

It was undergoing its first powered test flight since January over the Mojave Desert, north of Los Angeles.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson said he was "shocked and saddened" by the "tragic loss."

In a blog post, he said everyone involved in the project was "deeply saddened."

"All our thoughts are with the families of everyone affected by this tragic event," he wrote.

He said that he was flying to California immediately, describing it as "one of the most difficult trips I have ever had to make."

"Space is hard - but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together," he added.

Both pilots were employed by Scaled Composites, the company that designed the craft. One was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was transported to a local hospital in an unknown condition.

Television images shot from a helicopter showed wreckage bearing the Virgin logo. Officials have said the debris is strewn over a large area.