Editing Virgin Galactic (section)

{{Short description|Space tourism company}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Virgin Galactic
| image = Virgin Galactic logo (2022).svg
| image_upright = 1.1 
| alt = 
| IATA = –
| ICAO = VGX
| callsign = GALACTIC
| founded = {{start date and age|2004||}}
| founder = [[Richard Branson]]
| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|SPCE}}|[[Russell 2000]] component}}
| commenced = 
| ceased = 
| aoc = 
| bases = {{ubl|[[Spaceport America]]|[[Mojave Air and Space Port]]}}
| hubs = 
| secondary_hubs = 
| focus_cities = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| lounge = 
| alliance = 
| subsidiaries = 
| fleet_size = {{decrease}} 1 (mothership vehicle) (2024)
| destinations = 1 (Space)
| company_slogan = 
| headquarters = [[Tustin, California]], U.S
| key_people = Michael Colglazier ([[CEO]])<br />Doug Ahrens ([[CFO]])<br />[[Mike Moses]] (President – Safety)
| revenue = {{decrease}} {{US$|2.31 million}} (2022)
| operating_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|-500 million}} (2022)
| net_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|-500 million}} (2022)
| assets = {{increase}} {{US$|1.14 billion}} (2022)
| equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|480 million}} (2022)
| num_employees = 1,166 (2022)
| website = {{url|https://www.virgingalactic.com/|virgingalactic.com}}
| notes = Financials {{asof|2022|12|31|lc=y|df=US}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1706946/000170694623000016/spce-20221231.htm |title=Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=28 February 2023 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref> 
}}
{{Private spaceflight}}

'''Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc.''' is a British-American [[spaceflight]] company founded by [[Richard Branson]] and the [[Virgin Group]] conglomerate, which retains an 11.9% stake through Virgin Investments Limited.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001706946/000119312521330183/d259835dsc13da.htm  |title=Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. SEC Sch 13D |date=10 November 2021}}</ref> It is headquartered in [[California]], and operates from [[New Mexico]]. The company develops [[commercial spacecraft]] and provides [[suborbital spaceflight]]s to [[Space tourism|space tourists]]. Virgin Galactic's suborbital spacecraft are [[air launch]]ed from beneath a carrier airplane known as [[White Knight Two]]. Virgin Galactic's maiden spaceflight occurred in 2018 with its [[VSS Unity|VSS ''Unity'']] spaceship.<ref name = "meet pilots"/> Branson had originally hoped to see a maiden spaceflight by 2010,<ref name="bbc1" /> but the date was delayed, primarily due to the [[VSS Enterprise crash|October 2014 crash]] of [[VSS Enterprise|VSS ''Enterprise'']].

The company did the early work on the satellite launch development of [[LauncherOne]] before this was [[hive-off|hived off]] to a separate company, [[Virgin Orbit]], in 2017. The company also has aspirations for suborbital transport, to provide rocket-powered, point-to-point {{convert|3000|mph|abbr=on}} air/space travel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/vp-mike-pence-visits-virgin-galactic-stratolaunch-space-ventures-mojave/|title=VP Mike Pence visits Virgin Galactic and Stratolaunch space ventures in Mojave|date=2017-10-11|website=GeekWire|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/richard-branson-says-hes-going-to-space-but-mars-belongs-to-elon-musk-2017-10|title=Richard Branson says he's 6 months from going to space – but Mars belongs to Elon Musk|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inhabitat.com/richard-bransons-virgin-galactic-is-almost-ready-to-launch-into-outer-space/|title=Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is almost ready to launch into outer space|date=11 October 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/virgin-galactic-founder-richard-branson-spaceflights-spaceport-america-new-mexico/4629899/ |title=Virgin Galactic founder says spaceflights could be months away |work=KOB.com |date=9 October 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017 |archive-date=14 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014035145/http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/virgin-galactic-founder-richard-branson-spaceflights-spaceport-america-new-mexico/4629899/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |number=1290238201291059200 |user=virgingalactic |title=Virgin Galactic unveils Mach 3 vehicle design for high speed travel. This vehicle would have capacity for 9 to 19 people at an altitude above 60,000 feet. |date=3 August 2020}}</ref> The spin-off company, Virgin Orbit was shut down in May 2023.

On 13 December 2018, VSS ''Unity'' achieved the project's first suborbital space flight, [[VSS Unity VP-03|VSS ''Unity'' VP-03]], with two pilots, reaching an altitude of {{convert|82.7|km|mi}}, and officially entering [[Outer space#Boundary|outer space]] by U.S. standards.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46550862|title=Branson's Virgin Galactic successfully reaches space|publisher=BBC|date=13 December 2018|access-date=13 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| publisher=Bay Area News Group | work=San Jose Mercury News |page=A4 | title=Virgin Galactic tourism rocket ship reaches space in test | agency=Associated Press | date=4 December 2018}}</ref> In February 2019, the project carried three people, including a passenger, on [[VSS Unity VF-01|VSS ''Unity'' VF-01]], with a member of the team floating within the cabin during a spaceflight that reached {{convert|89.9|km|mi}}. On 11 July 2021, founder Richard Branson and three other employees rode on [[Virgin Galactic Unity 22| VSS ''Unity'' 22]] as passengers, marking the first time a spaceflight company founder has travelled on his own ship into outer space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Betz |first=Eric |date=2023-11-27 |title=The Kármán Line: Where space begins |url=https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/the-karman-line-where-does-space-begin/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Astronomy Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2022, Virgin Galactic announced that it was opening ticket sales to the public.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Prang|first=Allison|date=2022-02-15|title=You Can Now Sign Up to Go to Space With Virgin Galactic|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/you-can-now-sign-up-to-go-to-space-with-virgin-galactic-11644940088|access-date=2022-02-18|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> The price of a reservation was $450,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-to-increase-new-shepard-launches-in-2022/|title=Blue Origin to increase New Shepard launches in 2022|date=18 February 2022}}</ref> In June 2023, Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial space tourism flight called [[Galactic 01]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |date=2023-06-15 |title=Virgin Galactic sets first commercial space tourism flight for this month; shares spike more than 30% |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/15/virgin-galactic-sets-first-commercial-space-tourism-flight.html |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |title=Virgin Galactic spaceflight live updates: First paying customers set for space in key step for tourism |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/29/virgin-galactic-first-commercial-spaceflight-live-stream-updates.html |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=CNBC |date=29 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref> [[Galactic 07]] in June 2024 was the final flight of ''Unity'' as the company shifted focus to its Delta class vehicles and a higher launch cadence.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-05-08 |title=Virgin Galactic plans higher mothership flight rate with next-generation spaceplanes |url=https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-plans-higher-mothership-flight-rate-with-next-generation-spaceplanes/ |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2025, a ticket for a seat is estimated to cost about $600,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=updated |first=Mike Wall last |date=2025-02-25 |title=Blue Origin launches 'Perfect 10' space tourists on New Shepard rocket (video) |url=https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/watch-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launch-10th-space-tourism-flight-today |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Space.com |language=en}}</ref>