The SpaceShipTwo experience
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo system consists of two vehicles: the twin‑fuselage VMS Eve mothership and the rocket‑powered VSS Unity spaceplane. During a mission the mothership carries the spaceplane to about 15 km altitude, releases it, and Unity ignites its hybrid rocket engine to accelerate to Mach 3. Passengers experience up to 5 minutes of weightlessness as the vehicle climbs to around 80–90 km altitude. The cabin features 17 large windows, reclining seats and a mirror so that passengers can watch themselves float. After the engine cuts off, Unity transitions to a feathered configuration for a safe re‑entry and then glides back to land on a runway.
Delta‑class spaceplanes
Virgin Galactic retired Unity in mid‑2024 to focus on the Delta‑class spaceplanes, which are expected to begin commercial service in 2026. The new vehicles will carry six passengers (versus Unity’s three) and are designed to fly up to eight times per month. Delta flights will continue to launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico, and Virgin is studying additional spaceports in Italy. The company reported a backlog of about 700 ticket holders as of 2025. CEO Michael Colglazier told investors that Virgin plans to resume selling reservations in early 2026 and will use a bespoke education‑sales process to onboard new customers.
Pricing and customer experience
Virgin sold seats on Unity for US$450 000 and plans to raise the price to $600 000 or more for Delta flights. Early customers who purchased tickets years ago paid between US$200 000 and $250 000. The company emphasises a luxury experience that includes multi‑day training, personal instructors, a membership community and post‑flight celebrations. Virgin’s clientele includes business executives, entrepreneurs and celebrities; a sweepstakes contest in 2023 awarded two seats to a Caribbean mother‑daughter pair.
Safety and milestones
Virgin Galactic’s programme has had ups and downs. A fatal test accident in 2014 delayed development. Commercial service finally began in June 2023 with Galactic 01, a research mission carrying Italian Air Force personnel, followed by Galactic 02 in August 2023, which carried the first private tourists. Unity flew seven commercial passenger missions between June 2023 and June 2024 before being retired. The company aims to operate monthly flights with the Delta vehicles and to build a global fleet over time.