Virgin Galactic will not fly its first Delta-class commercial spaceflight this year. The company moved the debut from the fourth quarter of 2026 to February 2027. It explained the change in its Q2 2026 business update on August 12. So the new spaceship gets five more months of assembly time.
CEO Michael Colglazier, however, blamed the slip on hundreds of small installation tasks rather than one big failure. In fact, some parts arrived a few thousandths of an inch taller or shorter than planned. The extra time lets crews finish avionics and systems installations properly. In addition, ground tests on the first ship begin later this month.
A fully booked $750,000 tranche
Demand is not the problem. The $750,000 tranche of spaceflight expeditions sold out ahead of schedule, adding more than $50 million to expected future revenue. Meanwhile, Virgin Galactic plans a new tranche at higher price points this fall.
“Our tranche of spaceflight expeditions priced at $750,000 was oversubscribed and booked out ahead of schedule,” Colglazier said. Ultimately, he expects company finances to stay healthy despite the delay.
Two ships and ten flights a month
The first Delta-class ship is not alone. A second spaceship is already in production, and it should enter commercial service in the second quarter of 2027. Eventually, Virgin Galactic intends to run 10 flights a month. The company also expects positive quarterly cash flow within 2027.
Before passengers board, the flight test phase starts with a captive carry flight in October 2026. Afterwards, rocket production starts in the fourth quarter. The Delta class replaces VSS Unity, which flew seven commercial missions before Virgin Galactic paused trips in 2024 to focus on the next vehicle.
A name still missing
Notably, the new spaceship still has no name. Virgin Galactic is running a public poll with four options: Horizon, Explorer, Ascend, and Apeiron. Eventually the winner will join a busy season for crewed spaceflight. NASA’s Artemis III crew also targets 2027, while SpaceX is piping natural gas to Starship for its own launch cadence.
