Virgin Galactic announced during a recent earnings call that assembly for its first Delta SpaceShip is set to begin this month at its new East Valley factory.
The company — which completed buildout of its Mesa manufacturing facility last summer — expects private astronaut flights to follow in the fall of 2026.
"We are excited to share that our first spaceflight with our new Delta SpaceShips is planned for summer 2026,” CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement. “This first spaceflight will carry scientific research, and we expect to begin private astronaut spaceflights in the fall of 2026. We have made tremendous progress with the fabrication of tools and parts, and assembly of the first SpaceShip begins next month in Phoenix.”
