Virgin Galactic is progressing with the development of its Delta Class suborbital spaceplanes, aiming for the commencement of both research and private astronaut flights in the fall of 2026. The company has established a new, advanced manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona, dedicated to the final assembly of these spacecraft. This facility, completed in July 2024, features two hangars with multiple bays designed for adaptability in constructing and testing the Delta Class spaceships.
The assembly of the first Delta Class spaceplane began in March 2025, with ongoing work on critical systems and structural elements, including the wing assembly and the innovative 'feather' assembly, crucial for stabilizing the vehicle during re-entry. Virgin Galactic's CEO, Michael Colglazier, reported significant progress, highlighting the company's financial stability with over $500 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Concurrently, Virgin Galactic is evaluating a potential second spaceport in Italy through a feasibility study with Italy's Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile (ENAC), with phase one of this study expected to conclude in 2025. The Delta Class spaceships are engineered for enhanced operational capacity, aiming to conduct eight space missions per month, offering twelve times the monthly capacity of their predecessor, VSS Unity. The Arizona facility is designed to produce up to six spaceships annually, a key step in increasing flight capacity and revenue. The first Delta Class ships are anticipated to begin revenue-generating payload flights in late 2025, followed by private astronaut flights in 2026, marking a transition to a production model that streamlines the development timeline.