Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, is a British-American spaceflight company focused on providing suborbital spaceflights to space tourists and researchers. As the world's first commercial spaceline, it develops and operates its own reusable spaceflight systems, including the SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo. While the company is shifting its focus to Delta class vehicles for commercial service in 2026, its current partners include Redwire for manufacturing research payload lockers and it operates from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
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Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo and its successor SpaceShip are suborbital spaceplanes that air-launch.
Virgin Galactic fell 31.8% after SpaceX began trading on the NASDAQ.
Rocket Lab, Redwire, and Virgin Galactic shares fell between 5% and 24% in early trading as capital rotated into SpaceX.
Virgin Galactic expects to begin rocket-powered test flights to space with the first of its new Spaceships in the fourth quarter of 2026.
VSS Unity’s glide characteristics and energy-management profile closely mirror those of Virgin Galactic’s new Spaceship.
The glide flights are intended to supplement simulator training for Virgin Galactic pilots and operations teams.
Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Spaceships are designed to fly twice per week.
Virgin Galactic expects to conduct glide tests with the first of its new Spaceships in the third quarter of 2026.
Virgin Galactic’s ground crews, maintenance teams, and Mission Control are running live operations alongside the glide flights.
Virgin Galactic has begun unpowered glide flights over Spaceport America in New Mexico using its prototype spaceplane VSS Unity.
The glide flights are the first phase of preparations for Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Spaceship flight test program.
Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Spaceships are expected to have a vehicle lifetime of more than 500 missions.
Megan Prichard will help Virgin Galactic accelerate the creation of new spaceports.
Virgin Galactic’s new Chief Growth Officer role is intended to strengthen the company’s position as a suborbital spaceflight expeditions and scientific research company.
Megan Prichard joined Virgin Galactic from Uber, where she served as Head of US Mobility Portfolio.
Virgin Galactic named Megan Prichard as its new Chief Growth Officer effective April 6.
Megan Prichard will expand Virgin Galactic’s book of business for research missions and spaceflight expeditions.
Megan Prichard will lead Virgin Galactic’s integrated growth and revenue strategy across all business lines.
Megan Prichard will identify and enter new commercial markets for Virgin Galactic.
Virgin Galactic expects to launch commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.