Virgin Galactic Sets October 28 for Lead Delta Class Spaceship’s Arrival at Spaceport America, Marking Start of Flight Test Preparations

Additional avionics software integration and validation time shifts the expected commercial spaceflight schedule into Q2 and early Q3 2027.

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• More than 100 astronauts begin spaceflight expedition readiness
• Lead Spaceship’s name, chosen by public vote, to be announced the same day
• First spaceflight of lead Spaceship now expected in early Q2 2027
• Second Spaceship now expected to enter spaceflight operations in late Q2/early Q3 2027

MESA, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Virgin Galactic (NYSE: SPCE) today announced that the lead Spaceship of its next-generation fleet is set to fly to its operations base at Spaceport America, New Mexico on October 28. The Spaceship, mated to launch vehicle Eve for a captive-carry flight, will depart the company's Spaceship Factory in Mesa, Arizona. The arrival marks the transition from vehicle assembly to the start of flight test preparations.

Earlier that day, Virgin Galactic will reveal the Spaceship’s name, chosen by public vote with participants from more than 80 countries from a shortlist developed by Virgin Galactic teammates and members of its astronaut community.

“The arrival of our lead Spaceship at Spaceport America will be an enormous milestone in a years-long journey to build the world’s first human spaceship platform designed for regular commercial spaceflight,” said Michael Colglazier, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Galactic. “The ship is magnificent, and we are thrilled to introduce it to the world later this week.”

The lead Spaceship’s first commercial spaceflight is now expected in early Q2 2027, and the second Spaceship is expected to begin commercial spaceflight operations in late Q2/early Q3 2027. The updated timeline reflects additional time for completing avionics software integration and validation, which uses an exhaustive testing process. That testing will conclude at Spaceport America as the lead Spaceship is readied for its flight test series.

With the lead Spaceship repositioned to its operations base and two-ship commercial spaceflight operations expected by early Q3 2027, Virgin Galactic is moving more than 100 members of its astronaut community into their first phase of readiness and preparation, with additional cohorts expected to follow on a rolling basis.

Work at the Spaceship Factory now shifts to the completion of the structural test assembly of the wing and fuselage, along with completion of the second Spaceship’s assembly and preparation of the rocket motor assembly line. Structural testing of the feather assembly has already been successfully completed.

Pending weather and technical readiness, Virgin Galactic plans to share live updates from the October 28 flight across its social media channels. The company plans to provide further detail on upcoming flight tests and its financial outlook during its third quarter earnings call in November.

About Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of human possibility. Through its spaceflight expeditions, the company offers people a profound new perspective on our planet and their own potential, while enabling scientific discovery and supporting strategic government missions. Virgin Galactic combines world-class aerospace engineering with thoughtfully designed astronaut experiences and a scalable spaceline operating model. Its reusable, air-launched Spaceships are designed to make spaceflight safe, repeatable, operationally efficient, and increasingly accessible, advancing a long-term vision of opening space to millions for extraordinary purposes. Learn more at www.virgingalactic.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Virgin Galactic intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding Virgin Galactic’s spaceflight systems, development of Virgin Galactic’s lead and second next-generation spaceships and planned timeline for test flights and commercial service using such spaceships, including plans to commence commercial service with the lead spaceship in early Q2 2027 and with the second spaceship in late Q2 or early Q3 2027, transportation of such spaceships to Spaceport America, New Mexico, the timeline and process to complete avionics software integration and validation and related testing of such spaceships, readiness preparation of astronauts, and its plans to announce the name of the first spaceship, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Virgin Galactic’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any delay in future commercial flights of its spaceflight fleet, Virgin Galactic’s ability to successfully develop and test its next generation vehicles, and the time and costs associated with doing so, its expected capital requirements and the availability of additional financing, and the other factors, risks and uncertainties included in Virgin Galactic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of Virgin Galactic’s website at www.virgingalactic.com, which could cause its actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While Virgin Galactic may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause its views to change.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261026367828/en/

Media Contact:
Aleanna Crane - Vice President, Communications
news@virgingalactic.com

Source: Virgin Galactic

Key Terms

captive-carry flight technical

A captive-carry flight is a test flight in which a smaller vehicle, payload, or spacecraft is carried aloft while physically attached to a larger ‘mothership’ aircraft and is not released. It is used to evaluate aerodynamics, systems integration, structural loads, and ground-to-air communications under flight conditions without committing to separation or free flight; the carried vehicle remains secured for the entire sortie so any testing focuses on the combined flight regime rather than independent operation.

avionics software integration technical

The process of combining, configuring and validating software components so they work together within an aircraft’s avionics system. It covers integrating flight control, navigation, communications, mission systems and their middleware with the aircraft’s hardware and networks, resolving interface, timing and resource conflicts, and running systematic tests and documentation required for safety and regulatory certification (for example DO-178C). Distinct from initial software development, avionics software integration focuses on interoperability, version/configuration control, regression testing and demonstrating compliance with aviation safety standards before deployment.