Virgin Galactic resumes commercial flights with its new spaceplane, Delta, after a two-year pause, aiming to increase passenger capacity and reduce turnaround times.
Back in Business: Virgin Galactic Returns with Delta Spaceplane
After a two-year pause, Virgin Galactic is ready to resume commercial flights next year with its new spaceplane, Delta.
Virgin Galactic is a spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson, aiming to provide suborbital spaceflights to individuals.
The company's spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, has successfully completed numerous test flights, reaching altitudes of over 62 miles (100 km).
Virgin Galactic's goal is to offer commercial space tourism experiences, with prices reportedly ranging from $200,000 to $250,000 per seat.
The company has also partnered with NASA to develop a spaceplane capable of carrying crew and cargo to low Earth orbit.
Virgin Galactic will start operations with a research flight scheduled for the summer, followed by private astronaut missions in the fall. The company’s CEO, Michael Colglazier, announced this plan during an earnings call yesterday, where he also reported a net loss of $84 million for the January-March quarter, an improvement from last year’s $102 million loss.
The company offers 90-minute suborbital flights from a New Mexico spaceport, reaching altitudes of about 55 miles and giving passengers views of Earth and brief weightlessness. Revenue for the first quarter totaled just $460,000, mostly from ‘access fees related to our astronaut community,’ according to its earnings report. Prospective passengers must pay a non-refundable $50,000 membership fee as part of their deposit to reserve a seat.
Virgin Galactic‘s primary competitor, Blue Origin, charges anywhere between zero to $30 million for its suborbital tourist flights. The new Delta spaceplane can carry six passengers and features a rocket motor designed for quick replacement, enabling faster turnaround times. While Virgin Galactic conducted seven Unity flights between 2023 and 2024, it plans to operate up to 125 Delta flights per year.
Blue Origin is a privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company founded by Jeff Bezos.
The company's primary goal is to reduce the cost of access to space and make it possible for humans to live and work in space.
Blue Origin has developed several launch vehicles, including New Shepard and New Glenn, which have successfully carried out suborbital and orbital flights.
The company's reusable rockets have significantly reduced the cost of access to space, making it more accessible to commercial and scientific missions.
As the Delta era begins, Virgin Galactic is also preparing to welcome new clients. ‘We expect the majority of people who will join in this first wave will be new customers,’ Colglazier said, though some repeat flyers are expected. Three private astronauts from the company’s June 2024 flight have already booked seats on Delta.
The company is currently assembling its first two Delta spacecraft near Phoenix, Ariz. While most of its supply chain is U.S.-based, Colglazier noted that materials sourced internationally were largely purchased in advance, shielding the project from new tariffs enacted under the Trump administration.
Expansion and Future Plans
Virgin Galactic‘s expansion into commercial space travel marks a significant milestone for the company. With Delta, Virgin Galactic aims to increase its passenger capacity and reduce turnaround times, making suborbital flights more accessible to a wider audience.
Virgin Galactic, a leading space tourism company, is expanding its operations to meet growing demand.
The company has announced plans to increase its spacecraft production and launch more frequent flights to suborbital space.
With its SpaceShipTwo vehicle, Virgin Galactic aims to offer commercial flights to space tourists, providing a unique experience for adventurers and scientists alike.
The expansion is expected to create new jobs and stimulate innovation in the space industry.
The company expects to clear its current backlog of nearly 700 customers within a year. As the demand for suborbital flights grows, Virgin Galactic is poised to capitalize on this trend. With its new spaceplane, Delta, Virgin Galactic is ready to take off and offer a unique experience to space travelers around the world.
