The ticket window is open again for space flights at Virgin Galactic, with prices starting at $450,000 a seat.
The space tourism company said Thursday it is making progress toward beginning revenue flights next year. It will sell single seats, package deals and entire flights.
Virgin Galactic announced the offerings as it reported Thursday that it lost $94 million in the second quarter on soaring costs for overhead and sales. The company posted revenue of $571,000, barely enough to cover one seat on a future flight.
The company’s most noteworthy recent achievement came last month after the quarter ended when founder Richard Branson and five crewmates soared to 53.5 miles (86 kilometers) above the New Mexico desert.
CEO Michael Colglazier said the company resumed sales on Thursday to take advantage of a surge in consumer interest after the flight by Branson, who beat rival billionaire Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin ship into space by nine days.
The company based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, won regulatory approval in June to fly people into space.
Virgin Galactic said “early hand-raisers” will get first priority to book seats, and another list will be created for new customers.
The company’s next spaceflight is scheduled for late September in New Mexico with the Italian air force.
Virgin Galactic said it ended the quarter with cash and equivalents totaling $552 million.
The results were released after the stock market closed. The company's shares were up nearly 5% in after-hours trading.
The union representing Southwest Airlines pilots says it reached a new contract agreement in principle with the airline following three years of negotiations.
U.S. Bank has been hit with a $36 million fine for freezing debit cards that distributed unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
Construction of new homes rose by double digits in November, according to data from the Commerce Department.
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Stocks opened lower after the opening bell and on track for its first decline in 10 days after a recent winning streak.
Tesla drivers in the U.S. were in more accidents than drivers of any other car brand this year, according to a study.
The promise of self-checkout was alluring: Customers could avoid long lines by scanning and bagging their own items, workers could be freed of doing those monotonous tasks themselves and retailers could save on labor costs.
Monsanto was ordered to pay $857 million to students and parent volunteers at a Washington school.
A federal judge has struck down hundreds of lawsuits filed against the makers of Tylenol and generic acetaminophen.
California regulators are preparing to vote on new rules for turning recycled wastewater into drinking water.
