Virgin Galactic to delay commercial space travel service

FILE PHOTO: Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity, carrying billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson and his crew, begins its ascent to the edge of space above Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, U.S., July 11, 2021. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Space exploration company Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc said on Thursday it is delaying its commercial space travel service to the fourth quarter of 2022 and will not conduct another planned test flight this year.

Virgin Galactic said "commercial service is now expected to commence in Q4 2022." Shares in the company fell 13% in afterhours trading.