Virgin Galactic shifts focus to research payloads with Delta-class spaceplanes

Published on February 10, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

Virgin Galactic, renowned for pioneering space tourism, is recalibrating its business strategy to emphasize scientific research payloads aboard its forthcoming Delta-class space-planes.

This shift is highlighted by a recent collaboration with Redwire Corporation, a leader in space infrastructure, to develop advanced research payload lockers for these next-generation vehicles.

Advancements with Delta-Class Spaceplanes

The Delta-class spaceplanes, slated for commercial service in 2026, are engineered to surpass the capabilities of their predecessor, VSS Unity.

Notably, they are designed to conduct up to eight space missions per month, a twelve-fold increase over Unity’s capacity. This enhancement is expected to provide more frequent and reliable access to micro-gravity environments for research purposes.

Strategic Partnership with Redwire

In January 2025, Virgin Galactic announced a partnership with Redwire to manufacture state-of-the-art research payload lockers for the Delta-class fleet.

These lockers are designed to support both autonomous and human-tended experiments, facilitating real-time data collection throughout spaceflights.

The modular “plug-and-play” design aims to simplify the research experience, making it more accessible for various scientific endeavours.

Balancing Tourism and Research

While Virgin Galactic continues to offer space tourism experiences, the company is increasingly accommodating scientific research missions.

The Delta-class spaceplanes can be configured to carry either six mission specialists or a combination of four specialists and additional payload racks, depending on mission requirements. This flexibility allows the company to serve both tourists and researchers, optimizing each flight’s objectives.

Recent Research Missions

Virgin Galactic has a history of supporting scientific research. For instance, the ‘Galactic 05’ mission in November 2023 transformed the spaceship into a suborbital laboratory, enabling experiments in bioastronautics and fluid dynamics.

These missions demonstrate the company’s commitment to advancing space-based scientific research alongside its tourism ventures.

Future Outlook

As the Delta-class spaceplanes approach operational readiness, Virgin Galactic is poised to significantly enhance its role in space research.

The partnership with Redwire and the development of advanced research facilities underscore a strategic shift towards a more diversified portfolio, balancing space tourism with substantial contributions to scientific discovery.

This evolution reflects Virgin Galactic’s broader vision of making space accessible not only for leisure but also as a platform for meaningful scientific advancements.