Virgin Galactic delivers Apeiron spacecraft to New Mexico

Virgin Galactic has delivered its first Delta-class spacecraft, named Apeiron, to Spaceport America in New Mexico. The vehicle was transported from the company’s facility in Mesa, Arizona, via a captive-carry flight attached to the carrier aircraft, Eve.

The new Delta-class fleet is designed for high-frequency commercial operations, with the capability to fly up to twice per week and accommodate six passengers per voyage. This represents a significant increase in capacity and cadence compared to the retired VSS Unity, which carried four passengers and completed seven commercial missions before its retirement in June 2024.

Commercial passenger flights are currently slated to resume in the second quarter of 2027, following an intensive testing program that includes avionics software validation, drop tests, and powered flights. A second Delta-class spacecraft is already under assembly and is expected to enter service in late 2027 to help address a backlog of approximately 675 travelers on the company’s waiting list.