Virgin Galactic eyes expansion despite launch delay

As Virgin Galactic works to solve the interference issues that grounded its most recent test flight, Richard Branson’s space tourism company is developing new versions of its passenger spacecraft to support hundreds of flights and additional spaceports.

Virgin Galactic is poised to roll out SpaceShip III this week, one of two new classes of launch vehicle it is developing to support its long-term goal for multiple spaceports, even as its latest test launch remains delayed and its earnings took a hit last year. Billionaire Richard Branson’s space company said last month it plans to begin ferrying private, paying passengers into space by early 2022, but it reported a net loss of $74m during the fourth quarter and acknowledged its February test flight, which was already a redo of a December launch, faced a months-long delay. Still, Virgin Galactic stands by its ambitious agenda. The firm will introduce SpaceShip III on Tuesday and has also started work on its new workhorse Delta class of spaceships, which “will really accelerate the economic growth of the company,” Virgin Galactic’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Colglazier said during a February 25 earnings call.