Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship “Apeiron” heads to Spaceport America
Report/Photo by Steven Valinski
October 28, 2026
Mesa, Ariz. – Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Delta-class vehicle Starship “Apeiron” departed the Spaceship Factory in Mesa, Arizona on Wednesday headed for Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Mated beneath Virgin Galactic’s Mothership “EVE,” built by Scaled Composites, and first flown on December 21, 2008, together they departed Mesa Gateway Airport at 10:29 AM. VMS Eve was named after Evette Branson, the mother of Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
Spaceport America will be the permanent operational base for Apeiron where it will be prepared for flight testing with commercial suborbital passenger service expected in Q2 2027.
Apeiron is the first of Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Delta-class spaceships. It is designed to carry six passengers and a pilot. A second Delta-class spaceship is already in production at the Mesa facility.
“Apeiron, the Boundless, captures the ambition of human spaceflight and the possibilities it opens for humanity. The extraordinary response to the public vote made choosing this name even more meaningful. We’re proud that the lead ship in Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship fleet will carry a name chosen by the people who share our excitement for what comes next,” said Michael Colglazier, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Galactic.
The Delta-class vehicles are intended to enable frequent and higher-capacity suborbital space tourism from Spaceport America. Apeiron is designed for two flights per week with a vehicle lifetime of more than 500 missions. The company has reported a high demand for the service.
Apeiron is designed to be carried by VMS Eve to approximately 45,000-50,000 feet where it will be released, followed by ignition of the hybrid rocket motor. Then, a rocket-powered climb at about 3-4 g with speeds of approximately Mach 3. The customer experience is a unique one. At above the peak of the 50 mile space boundary customers can unbuckle and float for 3-4 minutes of weightlessness while views of the Earth’s curvature against the black of space provide a spectacular visual experience.
In July 2022, Virgin Galactic announced the long-term lease at the Mesa location for the purpose of supporting scaled production of Delta-class vehicles. Assembly of the first spaceships began in early 2025. Apeiron was completed, named and revealed on the morning of October 28 before being ferried.
With the second Delta-class in assembly, Virgin Galactic expects ramping up flights to over 100+ commercial missions per year. Ticket prices are reportedly in the $750,000 range and, as mentioned earlier, there’s high demand. The next several months of testing at Spaceport America will determine how closely the schedule and performance match the plan.
Steven is from Long Island, New York and now resides in sunny Mesa, Arizona. Steven’s love for aviation began when he was a child with a fascination for WWII aircraft. This love of aviation was further fostered by his uncle, a long-time Trans World Airlines (TWA) employee who had a passion for all forms of aviation.
Steven’s interest in photography began when he was 16 years old when he received his first SLR camera, a Minolta XGA. It makes sense that eventually his passion for aviation and photography would merge into a love for aviation photography.
In addition to being the web designer, webmaster and chief editor of Aviation Photography Digest, Steven has been published in numerous magazines worldwide.
Steven has an M.S. from Boston University and uses Nikon photographic equipment.
Steven is a Nikon NPS member.
Steven can be reached at: [email protected]