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Virgin Galactic to unveil first Delta-class spaceship Wednesday
Space.com reports Virgin Galactic will reveal its first Delta-class spaceship on Oct. 28, 2026, then fly it from Arizona to Spaceport America in New Mexico for flight testing.
Virgin Galactic plans to unveil its first Delta-class spaceship on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, then transport it from Mesa, Arizona, to Spaceport America in New Mexico, Space.com reported, citing the company1.
Alongside the reveal, the company will announce the spacecraft's name, selected through a public vote held across more than 80 countries, according to Space.com1. After the debut, the vehicle is to travel to the spaceport attached to Virgin Galactic's VMS Eve carrier aircraft, moving from assembly into official flight testing1.
CEO Michael Colglazier said in a company statement that arrival of the lead spaceship at Spaceport America would mark a milestone in building a platform for regular commercial spaceflight, Space.com reported1. Virgin Galactic is targeting mid-2027 for the spacecraft's first commercial spaceflight and is building a second Delta-class vehicle it hopes to put into service before the end of 20271.
Virgin Galactic announced Delta manufacturing plans in 2022 and initially expected research flights in late 2025 and passenger service in 2026, Space.com said; those timelines have slipped1. The company said the revised schedule allows more time to integrate and validate avionics software, with final testing at Spaceport America1.
The Delta vehicle is meant to replace VSS Unity, which began operations in June 2023, flew seven commercial missions and made a final flight on June 8, 20241. Virgin suspended Unity commercial flights to develop a next-generation fleet designed to carry more passengers and fly more often1.
Each Delta-class vehicle is equipped for up to six passengers, compared with Unity's four, and is expected to complete as many as eight spaceflights per month, more than 10 times Unity's rate, Space.com reported1. More than 100 future travelers are beginning initial preparations, with the company working toward two spaceships by the second half of 20271.
Virgin Galactic plans to share live updates during Wednesday's transport flight if weather and technical conditions allow, and to give more detail on upcoming flight tests during its November earnings call, according to Space.com1.
