Virgin Galactic has announced that the development of their new Delta-class spaceplane is progressing as planned. Should the testing phase proceed without significant setbacks, the initial flight trials for the craft are anticipated to commence this summer.
The company aims to resume commercial suborbital flights into the mesosphere by the close of 2026. The new Delta-class spacecraft generation is being developed precisely for this purpose, intending to facilitate a greater frequency of launches compared to earlier systems.
This initiative is viewed as a pivotal step in reviving Virgin Galactic’s tourism program, following a hiatus necessitated by fleet upgrades and the development of a new operational platform. The company is focusing on enhancing reliability, expediting turnaround times between flights, and reducing operational expenses.
Previously, Virgin Galactic had stated that the Delta series would form the backbone of regular commercial expeditions carrying space tourists and scientific payloads.
Virgin Galactic has prior experience in transporting tourists to space. The company initiated its commercial suborbital tourist flights in 2023, successfully completing seven missions.
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