Virgin Galactic has named its first Delta spaceship Apeiron. The name comes from an old Greek word meaning “without limits.” Thousands of people voted on the name in 83 countries. The company plans to start paid trips early in the April-to-June period of 2027 from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Apeiron has six passenger seats, two more than the company's earlier spaceship, Unity. Unity made its last paid flight in June 2024. A plane called Eve will carry Apeiron to about 50,000 feet and then let it go. Apeiron will start its rocket engine and fly toward space.
Passengers will feel no weight for a short time. The spaceship will return to Earth without going all the way around it. It will land on a runway like a plane. The company wants each Delta spaceship to make up to eight flights a month, but tests must show whether this is possible.
Teams can build and care for separate parts of the spaceship. This design aims to make that work easier. Before flight tests, teams will check the computer programs for its flight systems. Virgin Galactic also plans to use its spaceships for science and government work.
