Virgin Galactic sees delay to space mission with Italian Air Force

FILE PHOTO: A Banner hangs outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ahead of the Virgin Galactic (SPCE) IPO in New York, U.S., October 28, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

(Reuters) - Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc on Friday flagged a delay to its first commercial research mission with the Italian Air Force to mid-October due to a potential manufacturing defect.

The company also attributed the delay in the mission, named "Unity 23", to the pending resolution of a probe by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).