Taking flight “to infinity and beyond” is one step closer to a concrete reality, at least for a lucky few and if Virgin Galactic has its way. The pioneering space flight company founded by billionaire mogul Sir Richard Branson is one step closer to its retooled Delta spacecraft soaring into the cosmos in the summer of 2026, with an eye-popping price tag to match.
According to Robb Report and Bloomberg, the Delta will now feature six seats for commercial space flight (that’s two additional seats beyond its first flight last summer). As to the first take-off for the revamped spacecraft next year, initial missions are slated to carry cargo only, before private passengers can (hopefully) climb aboard in the fall of 2026.
The going price is rather steep for a ticket on the civilian spaceflight venture: Previous reports indicate an out-of-this-world space flight could cost a cool $450,000 apiece, but Robb Report notes tickets could now fetch as much as $600,000 for a spin around the globe in the impossibly futuristic space vehicle.
The bells and whistles behind the groundbreaking venture are rather jaw-dropping in scope: The Delta spacecraft boasts a 50,000-foot takeoff and accelerates to 3.5 times the speed of sound through a rocket motor. Video shows that the craft rises up to that 50,000-foot level via mothership before detaching. 17 windows then offer unparalleled views of the Earth, like something out of a sci-fi movie.
A two-phase return process is equally impressive, using capsules and a winged design as tail booms first fold upright in a display of aerodynamics meant to spread friction heat evenly on the underside in re-entry. Those same tail booms then re-deploy, not unlike aircraft wings, as the atmosphere thickens, eventually placing the Delta spacecraft back on the runway in phase two. One might be forgiven for confusing the technology with something from a Christopher Nolan film.
The initiative has garnered some serious enthusiasm to date, even with its steep ticket price: The waitlist to fly Virgin Galactic Delta numbers about 700, according to Robb Report, but Virgin Galactic plans to quickly clear that backlog once private passengers can take flight. As Virgin Galactic notes, its mission revolves around “turning the impossible into inevitable,” and if commercial spaceflight becomes a viable reality, future innovation surely awaits.