Virgin Galactic asks public to help name its new Delta-class spacecraft
Virgin Galactic has opened a public vote to choose a name for its first Delta-class spacecraft. The four options are Horizon, Explorer, Ascend, and Apeiron.
Virgin Galactic is inviting the public to take part in naming its next spaceship. The company says the vote for Delta-1, the first craft in the Delta class, will run until August 27 and is open to anyone aged 13 or older.
Four names are on the ballot. Horizon refers to Earth's curve seen against the darkness of space; Explorer highlights humanity's desire to discover and go further; Ascend suggests the act of rising after rocket ignition; Apeiron is an ancient Greek term for the infinite, evoking the view at apogee.
The company encouraged broad participation, from lifelong space enthusiasts to those simply inspired by what is possible. Virgin Galactic called it a rare opportunity to help shape spaceflight history and be part of a moment that could inspire future explorers.
The Delta-1 spacecraft was moved from its assembly hangar to a test and launch hangar in Arizona in March 2026, ahead of upcoming tests.
The naming contest follows a long line of spacecraft names at Virgin Galactic. The first SpaceShipTwo, christened Enterprise in 2009, continued a tradition of using that name in naval, NASA and science-fiction vessels, and also honored private enterprise's future role. Enterprise was lost on October 31, 2014 during its fourth powered test flight, killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury; pilot in command Peter Siebold survived with serious injuries.
The second SpaceShipTwo, Unity, was the one to reach space. At times it was referred to as VSS Voyager before the Enterprise crash, but the name Unity was chosen based on messages of support after the accident. Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who had planned to fly aboard SpaceShipTwo, said space exploration could create a new unity and help unite people.
In March 2021, Virgin Galactic unveiled VSS Imagine, its first SpaceShip III, featuring modular construction and mirror-like livery. A follow-up, VSS Inspire, was announced but canceled in 2024 as the company shifted focus to the Delta-class design.
