THEN WHAT?
Menu
ScienceUnited States · 2021

Branson’s spaceflight: what happened to commercial space tourism?

Virgin Galactic began commercial flights in 2023, paused them after Unity’s final mission and is preparing a new fleet.

This update: 2 October 2026 · Latest recorded development
Article revised 11 October 2026

THE ORIGINAL STORY11 July 2021
William Harwood
11 July 2021
Richard Branson heading for space as billionaires battle for profits on the high frontier
The six-person Unity 22 test-flight crew before the July 2021 flight, as shown in the original CBS reportVirgin Galactic · preflight crew photograph
Read the original report

A founder’s test flight preceded the passenger service

Richard Branson flew aboard VSS Unity on 11 July 2021 with company colleagues and two pilots. The spaceplane reached 53.5 miles before landing at Spaceport America in New Mexico. It was the first full-cabin test flight, intended to evaluate the experience future customers would have. The crew photograph in the original CBS report presented that test team before the flight. Carrying customers regularly would require more than a successful demonstration.

The Independent

Andrew Griffin · 11 July 2021

Richard Branson successfully completes flight to space with Virgin Galactic

THEN WHAT?

Passenger flights happened. The next ships are still awaited.

Editorial halftone rendering based on Virgin Galactic’s photograph of VSS Unity, showing its twin tail-boom configuration

Branson’s July 2021 flight was a test. Commercial missions followed in 2023, including the first private passengers, before Unity made its final commercial flight in June 2024. Virgin Galactic is building Delta-class ships and forecasts commercial service in February 2027. Bookings reopened by October 2026, with LATTE reporting a new US$850,000 seat price. The promised experience has carried passengers; delivering the next generation of flights remains ahead.

The story, in dates

Event dates
Scroll back through the story
  1. “Richard Branson heading for space as billionaires battle for profits on the high frontier”

    CBS News · Original headline

  2. The test flight was followed by an airspace inquiry

    The July flight did not lead straight to passenger service.

  3. Commercial service began with a research mission

    Nearly two years after Branson’s test flight, Galactic 01 became Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceflight.

  4. The first private passengers followed

    Galactic 02 carried Jon Goodwin from the United Kingdom and Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers from Antigua and Barbuda.

  5. Unity completed its final commercial flight

    Galactic 07 was VSS Unity’s last commercial mission.

  6. The next commercial service moved to February 2027

    Virgin Galactic pushed the expected start of Delta commercial operations from late 2026 to February 2027, saying avionics and systems installations needed more time.

  7. Bookings reopened while passengers awaited the new ships

    LATTE reported new seats at US$850,000 while Delta service was still ahead.

29 September 2021

The test flight was followed by an airspace inquiry

The July flight did not lead straight to passenger service. An FAA inquiry examined air traffic control clearance and real-time notification during Unity 22. Virgin Galactic announced on 29 September that the regulator had accepted corrective measures and cleared it to fly again. The changes expanded the protected airspace for future missions and added procedures for notifying air traffic control in real time. That was a return-to-flight clearance following the inquiry, rather than the start of commercial operations.

Return-to-flight statement · Virgin Galactic · 29 September 2021

29 June 2023

Commercial service began with a research mission

Nearly two years after Branson’s test flight, Galactic 01 became Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceflight. The mission carried personnel from the Italian Air Force and Italy’s National Research Council. Research was part of the business from the outset: a commercial flight could carry scientists and their experiments as well as people buying a personal experience. The first commercial mission therefore delivered an operational step beyond the founder’s demonstration, but it was not yet the company’s first private astronaut flight.

First commercial mission · Virgin Galactic · flight 29 June 2023

10 August 2023

The first private passengers followed

Galactic 02 carried Jon Goodwin from the United Kingdom and Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers from Antigua and Barbuda. Virgin Galactic identified it as its first private astronaut mission. The flight reached an apogee of 55 miles before returning to Spaceport America. For the passengers, the promised journey had become a completed flight. For the company, this was the beginning of a commercial service that still needed to become repeatable.

First private astronaut mission · Virgin Galactic · 10 August 2023

8 June 2024

Unity completed its final commercial flight

Galactic 07 was VSS Unity’s last commercial mission. It carried a researcher and three private astronauts, and brought Virgin Galactic’s total to 12 spaceflights. Two university experiments supported by NASA also travelled aboard: one studied liquid propellant movement and the other tested 3D printing in microgravity. NASA’s account confirms the research flight on 8 June. Virgin Galactic then shifted its commercial programme towards new Delta-class spaceships. The passenger service had flown, but the next stage required a new vehicle.

Unity final commercial flight · Virgin Galactic · 8 June 2024 · University research payloads · NASA · June 2024

12 August 2026

The next commercial service moved to February 2027

Virgin Galactic pushed the expected start of Delta commercial operations from late 2026 to February 2027, saying avionics and systems installations needed more time. It continued to target the start of flight testing in October 2026. Its second-quarter SEC filing set out the same schedule. These dates were company forecasts, with tests and preparations still ahead. The filing also separated reservations from earned revenue: booked flights would generate spaceflight revenue when the journeys were completed.

Service outlook · Virgin Galactic · 12 August 2026 · Second-quarter 2026 filing · SEC · Virgin Galactic Form 10-Q

2 October 2026 · report published

Bookings reopened while passengers awaited the new ships

By October, Virgin Galactic was again advertising limited bookings. LATTE US reported on 2 October that the new tranche cost US$850,000 per seat. The company had previously sold an oversubscribed tranche at US$750,000, according to its August filing. New reservations added to the queue; they did not mean the Delta passenger flights had begun. The next test of Branson’s promise is whether the new ships enter service and fly their waiting customers.

Second-quarter 2026 filing · SEC · Virgin Galactic Form 10-Q · New ticket-price reporting · LATTE US · 2 October 2026 · Current booking announcement · Virgin Galactic

The evidence

Sources for this update

  1. 01Branson test flight · Virgin Galactic · 11 July 2021
  2. 02Return-to-flight statement · Virgin Galactic · 29 September 2021
  3. 03First commercial mission · Virgin Galactic · flight 29 June 2023
  4. 04First private astronaut mission · Virgin Galactic · 10 August 2023
  5. 05Unity final commercial flight · Virgin Galactic · 8 June 2024
  6. 06University research payloads · NASA · June 2024
  7. 07Service outlook · Virgin Galactic · 12 August 2026
  8. 08Second-quarter 2026 filing · SEC · Virgin Galactic Form 10-Q
  9. 09New ticket-price reporting · LATTE US · 2 October 2026
  10. 10Current booking announcement · Virgin Galactic

Where the story stands

The story continues when the evidence does.

The private passenger flights aboard Unity are part of Virgin Galactic’s completed history. The company’s next commercial programme depends on finishing and testing its Delta spaceships. February 2027 is its announced service target, rather than a completed flight.

Stay updated

Still wondering about another story?

Tell us what you remember. We'll follow up...

Ask Then What? →
No exact headline needed.
Request a follow-up →
We’ll use your email only to handle this request and let you know if it’s published. No newsletter signup.Add a name to be credited publicly if your question becomes a story. Leave it blank for a “Requested update” stamp.Your email stays private. Requests are reviewed; publication is not guaranteed. We use your details only for this request, as explained in our privacy notice.
Next: your email. No newsletter signup.