Virgin Glactic Building New Spaceship Assembly Plant Near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport

AZ – Virgin Galactic, an aerospace and space travel company, announced it has signed a long-term lease for a new final assembly manufacturing facility for its next-generation Delta-class spaceships. The manufacturing facility will be located adjacent to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and will have the capabilities to build up to six spaceships per year and bring highly skilled aerospace, engineering and manufacturing jobs to the area.

The Delta spaceship is Virgin Galactic’s production vehicle that is designed to fly weekly, supporting the Company’s target of 400 flights per year from Spaceport America. The first of these ships is expected to commence revenue-generating flights in late 2025, progressing to private astronaut flights in 2026. The facility is already under construction and is expected to be fully operational by late 2023. Final assembly manufacturing processes at the facility will be underpinned by a digital twin architecture that enables seamless integration between the Company and suppliers, allowing for real-time collaboration, strong governance, and an increase in production efficiency and reliability.