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Virgin Galactic Reopens Space Bookings for $750K
2 Apr
Summary
- Virgin Galactic is resuming space flights for civilians at $750,000 per ticket.
- New Delta Class ships will accommodate six passengers and fly twice weekly.
- Commercial flights are slated to begin this fall, with research flights first.
Virgin Galactic is set to resume taking civilians to space, with new bookings opening at a price of $750,000 per person. This marks a substantial increase from the $600,000 charged in 2023. The upcoming expeditions will utilize the company's new Delta Class spacecraft, which boasts a larger capacity of six passengers compared to its predecessor.
The Delta Class ships are engineered for greater operational frequency, capable of flying up to twice a week. Virgin Galactic intends to conduct test flights of this new craft during the summer. Commercial passenger flights are scheduled to commence in the fall, following an initial series of research flights designed to gather performance data.
Following these initial research endeavors, passenger flights are expected to begin approximately six to eight weeks later. This timeline suggests that the first non-research passengers could be traveling to space before the close of the year. The company plans to sell an initial batch of 50 tickets at the current price point.
Virgin Galactic also has a backlog of 675 individuals, referred to as 'founding' or 'future astronauts,' who had previously paid deposits for flights. These passengers, who made deposits up to a decade ago, will likely have their trips priced significantly lower than new customers. The company aims for a significant increase in flight frequency, targeting 10 trips per month by 2027.
