Virgin Galactic has officially announced the completion of its new spaceship manufacturing facility at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, a move set to usher in a new era for space tourism and economic growth for the region. The facility, which spans two sizable hangars with multiple building and testing bays, is poised to become the standard-bearer for assembling the company's future Delta class spaceships. According to GoPerigon's report, the first of these spaceships should be prepared to roll out by the first quarter of 2025, paving the way for commercial operations commencing in 2026.
In an industry where the ability to swiftly adapt and innovate is paramount, Virgin Galactic seems to effortlessly lead on both fronts. The new Mesa venue isn't just a boon for the enthusiastic space tourists, who have already laid down reservations for the Delta spaceship flights - with 750 bookings reported by the end of 2023 at $450,000 each - but it's also set to provide a significant boost to the local economy. As per statements obtained by ABC15, this includes the creation of diverse jobs ranging from manufacturing to technical maintenance, essential for sustaining the high-tech industry buzz in Phoenix.
"The completion of our new manufacturing facility is an important milestone in the development of our fleet of next-generation spaceships, the key to our scale and profitability," Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a public statement. This aligns with the company's strategy to commence spaceship assembly in 2025, followed by extensive ground testing in Phoenix. While the spaceships themselves are slated to be constructed and serviced in Mesa, the actual launches will continue to be hosted by Spaceport America in New Mexico. The completed spacecraft will be ferried there, courtesy of Virgin Galactic's mothership, Eve, for flight testing before they begin whisking paying customers into suborbital space.
Despite being a hub for the making and the maintenance of the company's spatial ventures, the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport won't see actual space launches - a detail reiterated by Ryan Smith, the airport's Director of Communications and Government Relations during an interview with ABC15. "At this point in time, they're still going to do all of their launching from New Mexico, they've got a whole big setup there […] that they've built there. ‘Never say never,’ We’re happy to be a part of their operations for now. But for now, probably all the launches will continue to happen in New Mexico," said Smith. Meanwhile, the local community can expect to see the mothership Eve regularly fly in for maintenance, an occasion sure to grapple the attention of aerospace enthusiasts and locals alike.
