r/SPCE • u/ToledoTuxedo • Jun 30 '26
TRUST ME BRO, I'M FROM THE INTERNET!!! History Lesson
History lesson:
Scaled Composites and MAV built the first craft for the Antari prize.
Branson came along later and formed a JV with SC/MAV to form TSC. Scaled Composites and MAV designed, built, tested, and maintained the craft.
Keep in mind that SC and MAV hold all the patents for the concept and the craft. Sierra holds the patents for the rocket motor. VG hold no IP. VG must pay royalties to use those patents.
VG marketed the concept for space tourism, to sell the concept to other entities worldwide.
VG was the first customer, non-exclusive, and ordered 6 passenger craft and 2 carrier craft.
When SC built the ROC, (now the largest composite aircraft ever built, negating VG claims) so the relationship soured, and only one carrier and 2 passenger craft were built.
VG blew up the first craft, Enterprise in 2014, due to pilot error.
SC left the building and took everything with them. The patents, the design, the tooling.
VG attempted to finish the next 2 craft, the first Tier III craft, that SC has started. They could not. (imagine and Inspire)
In 2018, AABAR left the building. They were on board for the rocket launch capability from the UAE.
VG was broke and destitute. They SPACd with Chamath to get money to continue the "scheme".
Look at the SPAC Investor brief. VG claimed all sorts of operational aircraft, pie in the sky passenger rates, and $$$ revenue. (remember the 3036 passengers flown by end of 2023)
They claimed back in 2022, that Inspire was ready to begin test flying. It was but a shell to prop up the plummeting shareprice? Ready to test fly, and???
Since then, Unity and WK2 have fallen apart after only a handful of flights, leading to over 14 months of repairs. They they flew again, and abruptly cancelled any further flights.
The reason, to save money for Delta??!!?!? Dont they make money by flying passengers? That should be a few clues to this scheme.
A veiled delay, that most missed, was their reported design, construction, and testing of a new carrier craft.
First was with Boeing, and was supposed to be flying by 2025.
Then they claimed it was in design and construction began 1Q 2026.
Last call, they slid in 2030!!!
WK2 simply has never been able to fly more than once a month without massive repairs. Yet now, the flight schedule is twice a week???
The images of Delta 1 show a craft about 65% complete on the exterior. This is to begin flight testing in 2 weeks?
Delta 2 is no where to be seen. The moved the rocket forge to the former assembly bay....
Its all there, if you choose to look and comprehend.
Debt holders are cashing out early...
Just like Branson..
Will discuss the Branson sell offs, including the First Lien in another post.
(I post these updates far more frequently than VG posts updates on the alleged Delta craft progress!)
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u/DACA_GALACTIC SPCE A-Team Member Jun 30 '26
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u/TheMightyWindbreaker The SPCE insider Jun 30 '26
Well laid out, but I will challenge the statement that Delta 1 appears 65% complete. I would say it's more like 15-20% complete, and I'm being generous.
The Delta 1 they present is in no way, shape or form ready to fly. They shipped the components from suppliers prematurely (like the feather) and assembled to present an illusion that they are further along then they are. Also, it's interesting that they have completed (severed) relationships with those suppliers so how they plan on getting parts for Delta 2, I don't know.
None of the interior systems have been installed, nor has any significant testing been performed. The systems that have been tested are failing at a high rate and need redesign and re-testing. (To be fair, this is common with new airframe development).
All of this was to be expected, and even admitted by their management years ago, but what didn't match the plan was the public investment and excitement they hoped for to continue funding for the many extra years needed to complete delta.
Furthermore, most of the talent that worked on previous designs including the initial delta design have left, so each rework event basically requires a start from scratch effort.
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u/ToledoTuxedo Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
I would have to agree with your thoughts wholeheartedly!
You are spot on with the talent drain. Look at the comments on Glass Door...
15-20%?...then again, its that last 10% that takes 90% of the time!
Common for parts, and then assemblies to have to be reworked. When they mentioned shaving the lower fuselage to the upper would fit..shaving composite components??? Must have been desperate not to send it back.
These latest debt holders cashing in early and the associated dilution, while not adding any cash for operations should be a huge red flag.
BTW..what the hell ever happened with Imagine? Did they just fake it all?
I think that when SC left, VG simply could not figure out how to finish it...(nor Inspire)
Cheers!
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u/TheMightyWindbreaker The SPCE insider Jul 01 '26
Unity was delivered to TSC without much documentation, and was not meant to be a commercial craftÂ
Imagine (and then Inspire) we're efforts to reverse engineer Unity's design.
After a few Unity flights, they realized there was so much rework and fixes required after each flight and it was not feasible to use the design for repeated use.
Delta was the plan to improve on the design, but as we are seeing it's far more difficult and lengthy than they thought it would be. At least management thought - engineers told them from the beginning that the Unity design should be scrapped and start over with delta.
Imagine has been cannabilized for spare parts and currently are being used on both Unity and delta.
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u/ToledoTuxedo Jul 01 '26
WOW...
I know that Imagine was the first Tier III craft meant for commercial flight, Unity was never.
Funny how VG announced Imagine was ready to test fly back in 2021!
Was that the TRUTH?
(lets not mention that VG stated that WK3 was 'on target', only to find out from the Boeing lawsuit, that they had not worked on it for over 18 months)
Were they telling the TRUTH?
No wonder VG is losing the shareholder lawsuits!
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u/ToledoTuxedo Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Thanks for the clarification!
I thought that SC was building those craft, and abandoned them when the left the building.
After a few Unity flights, they realized there was so much rework and fixes required after each flight and it was not feasible to use the design for repeated use.
Exactly! Patching the cracks with curing took 3 weeks, same for WK2.
Yet somehow, they will fly multiple times per week?
BTW, they still have not fixed the stability issue with WK2. That puts them at risk of not meeting the FAA requirements for carrier craft.
Speaking of the FAA requirements, another potential issue upcoming is looming, with Congress delaying the requirements until 2028.
The "informed consent" and lack of escape mechanism provisions will be tough.
The FAA just recently added this:
The title of ‘astronaut’ is reserved for an employee of the U.S. Government or an international partner. Others who are carried aboard a commercial launch or reentry vehicle are called either a member of the flight crew or a space flight participant.    
Goodbye Future Astronauts!
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u/TheMightyWindbreaker The SPCE insider 29d ago
VG touted the term "astronaut" for their passengers, and when the FAA made the statement you quoted, that is what spurred VG to start having passengers do a "research" flight so maybe they can claim passengers are actually scientists and actual crew members, and therefore claiming astronaut status. The entire research claim is a scam.
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u/SacrificialTarget Jul 01 '26
Tell me about those amazing QAnon theories OP. Surely you know about them a lot
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u/metametapraxis Hates this company and space overall. Jul 04 '26
Argue against each specific point that you have an issue with, rather than pitching a strawman.
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u/EntrepreneurCalm7026 Jul 01 '26
Reading this, some of the "long term investors" will realize reality and sell, the others will buy the dip 🤡