Virgin Galactic's forthcoming Delta class aircraft may take to the skies as early as the fall of 2026
Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight company founded by Sir Richard Branson, is set to revolutionise the suborbital travel industry with its new Delta-class spaceplanes. Designed for faster turnaround and a higher flight rate, these next-generation vehicles aim to bring humans to space at an unprecedented frequency [1].
The Delta-class spaceplanes are currently under construction, with the final assembly taking place at Virgin Galactic's Delta facility near Phoenix, Arizona. The completion date for the construction of the fuselage is expected to be late in 2025 or early in 2026, as previously mentioned [1]. The wing assembly is also expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2025.
The novel "feather" assembly of the Delta-class spaceplanes is being worked on to ensure stability during the reentry process of the suborbital vehicle [1]. This system is crucial for the safe return of the spacecraft and its passengers.
In collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Virgin Galactic is working on a feasibility study. However, no publicly available data from the provided search results explicitly mention a partnership between Virgin Galactic and LLNL in the development of the Delta-class spaceplanes or related projects. Thus, no confirmed information on such collaboration is found in these sources [2].
The Delta-class spaceplanes are expected to operate with an industry-leading cost structure, making space travel more accessible to a broader audience. The monthly payload or customer capacity of the Delta-class spaceplanes is twelve times that of the original SpaceShip, VSS Unity [1]. Each spaceplane is designed to fly eight missions per month, significantly increasing the frequency of flights compared to previous models.
Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, reported progress on SpaceShips and a strong financial balance sheet. He also mentioned that commercial service for the Delta-class spaceplanes is still planned for 2026 [3]. Mike Moses, president of Spaceline, oversees the commercial flight program for the Delta-class spaceplanes.
A newly issued "Galactic 10" video spotlights development milestones in moving the Delta-class SpaceShip program forward. The video provides an update on the progress made so far and the exciting future of space travel with Virgin Galactic's Delta-class spaceplanes.
| Aspect | Details | |--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Collaboration with LLNL | No specific confirmation found in available data | | Expected flight frequency | Designed for faster turnaround and higher flight rate | | Completion timeline | Under construction as of 2025; service expected soon, no exact date | | Cost Structure | Expected to be industry-leading | | Monthly Payload Capacity | Twelve times that of the original SpaceShip, VSS Unity | | Flight Frequency | Designed to fly eight missions per month | | Commercial Service | Planned for 2026 |
If you require precise details on the LLNL partnership or official timelines, these may need to be sourced directly from Virgin Galactic or LLNL announcements post-August 2025, as current data lacks this information.
The Delta-class spaceplanes are being developed in collaboration with cutting-edge advancements in news, business, science, and space-and-astronomy, aiming to revolutionize the suborbital travel industry by making space travel more frequent and accessible to a broader audience through its industry-leading cost structure and high flight rate. The completion timeline is set for late in 2025 or early in 2026, with the Delta-class spaceplanes designed to fly eight missions per month, each carrying a payload twelve times that of the original SpaceShip, VSS Unity.
