Space tourism company Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. says its passenger-carrying Delta spacecraft is on track to start commercial service in 2026, replacing the current Unity model.
The company (NYSE: SPCE) said it will send Unity aloft for its final ride as early as June 8, its seventh commercial flight.
Chief Executive Michael Colglazier told financial analysts on a May 7 conference call that Unity “has served Virgin Galactic incredibly well.”
Shortly before the call, Virgin Galactic said first-quarter revenue had climbed to $2 million from just under $400,000 in the same period a year earlier.
Revenue is expected to climb further to $3.5 million in the current quarter.
Profitability Question
When Virgin Galactic may reach profitability remains an open question.
One way the company is seeking to streamline operations is the opening of a test facility in Irvine, for various components of the new Delta spaceships.
Virgin Galactic Spaceline President Mike Moses said the site will be “shaving years off the development timeline we saw with VSS Unity.”
The company will also keep its Eve mother ship—the giant twin-fuselage plane that launches the spacecraft—running strong with 125 flights per year.