Virgin Galactic pushes Delta flights to Q2 2027

Virgin Galactic delays first Delta commercial flight

Virgin Galactic has pushed back the first commercial spaceflight of its lead Delta-class spaceship, now expecting the mission to take place in early in the second quarter of 2027. The adjustment extends the company’s previously stated timing and comes as it finalizes preparations to move the new vehicle from factory assembly into the flight-test phase.

The second Delta-class spaceship is expected to begin commercial operations in early third quarter 2027.

October 28 transfer marks start of flight-test preparations

On October 28, the lead Delta-class spaceship is scheduled to depart Virgin Galactic’s factory in Mesa, Arizona, attached to the carrier aircraft Eve for a captive-carry flight to Spaceport America in New Mexico. This transfer marks the formal transition from vehicle assembly to the start of flight-test preparations at the company’s operational base.

The arrival at Spaceport America will precede a series of ground and flight tests, supported by avionics software integration and validation that will conclude at the site. Structural testing of key components, including the feather assembly, has been completed, and work at the Mesa facility is shifting to structural testing of the wing and fuselage, finishing assembly of the second spaceship, and preparing the rocket motor assembly line.

Reason for the updated schedule

Virgin Galactic cited additional time required to complete avionics software integration and validation as the main reason for the revised commercial launch timeline. The remaining work will be carried out as the lead spaceship is readied for its flight-test series at Spaceport America.

With these steps, the company aims to ensure the readiness of both the lead and second Delta-class spaceships ahead of their planned entry into commercial service in 2027. The name of the lead spaceship, selected through a public vote that drew participants from more than 80 countries, is scheduled to be revealed on October 28.

Astronaut readiness and community engagement

In parallel with the vehicle preparations, Virgin Galactic is advancing customer readiness for the upcoming flights. The company 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 as the Delta program advances.

Virgin Galactic plans to share live updates from the October 28 captive-carry flight across its social media channels and intends to provide more detail on upcoming flight tests and its financial outlook during its third-quarter earnings call in November. These updates are expected to outline the next milestones on the path to commercial operations with the Delta fleet.

Market reaction and share performance

Following the disclosure of the schedule change, Virgin Galactic’s shares eased by about 2% in after-hours trading on Monday. The stock has declined 20% year-to-date, reflecting investor sensitivity to the company’s timelines for resuming and scaling commercial spaceflight operations with its next-generation Delta-class ships.