Virgin Galactic Moves Next-Gen Spaceship to New Mexico

Virgin Galactic will fly its lead next-generation spaceship from its factory in Mesa, Arizona, to Spaceport America in New Mexico on October 28. The captive-carry flight, attached to the launch vehicle Eve, marks the transition from assembly to flight test preparations.

The company delayed the first commercial spaceflight of the lead spaceship to early Q2 2027, with a second spaceship expected to begin operations in late Q2 or early Q3 2027. Virgin Galactic attributed the updated timeline to the need for additional time to complete avionics software integration and validation testing.

Virgin Galactic is currently moving over 100 members of its astronaut community into the first phase of readiness. The company will reveal the spacecraft's name, which was chosen via public vote, on the day of the flight.