Virgin Galactic has unveiled its new Delta-class spacecraft, named Apeiron following a public vote. The vehicle is currently departing the company's manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, for transport to Spaceport America in New Mexico. The transfer involves a captive-carry flight using the Eve launch vehicle.
The company has revised its commercial flight schedule, citing the need for additional time to complete avionics software integration and validation. These testing procedures are scheduled to take place at Spaceport America before the commencement of the flight test series for the lead spacecraft.
Under the updated timeline, the first commercial flight is now anticipated for early Q2 2027. The second spacecraft is expected to begin operations in late Q2 or early Q3 2027. This follows a previous delay that pushed the next commercial mission from late 2026 to February 2027.
The company has not conducted a commercial spaceflight since June 2024, when it retired the VSS Unity spacecraft. The upcoming testing phase for the Apeiron is intended to finalize the integration of critical systems before the fleet enters active service.
