Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. is a vertically integrated aerospace and space travel company focused on commercial human spaceflight and flying commercial research and development payloads into space. Founded in 2004 by Sir Richard Branson, the company operates a proprietary fleet of reusable spaceflight systems, including its carrier aircraft and passenger-carrying spaceships. Virgin Galactic's primary business model centers on space tourism, offering suborbital spaceflights to private individuals, as well as providing flights for scientific research and astronaut training. The company manufactures its advanced air and space vehicles through its wholly owned subsidiary, The Spaceship Company. Headquartered in Tustin, California, with flight operations based at Spaceport America in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic generates revenue primarily through ticket sales for spaceflights, payload cargo, and engineering services. While the company has successfully completed commercial spaceflights, it remains in a capital-intensive phase, focusing on scaling its operations and developing its next-generation Delta Class spaceships to increase flight frequency and achieve long-term profitability.
