Virgin Galactic (SPCE) Deepens DOE Lab Ties: Could LLNL Sensors Reframe Its High-Altitude Data Strategy?

• In December 2025, Virgin Galactic announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to evaluate using LLNL sensor systems on its future launch vehicles and HALE-Heavy aircraft for advanced image-capture capabilities.
• This collaboration links Virgin Galactic with a key U.S. Department of Energy lab, potentially opening doors to government-backed research work and specialized data-gathering missions.
• We’ll now examine how this LLNL sensor collaboration, and its potential to expand high-altitude data missions, shapes Virgin Galactic’s investment narrative.

Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value.

What Is Virgin Galactic Holdings' Investment Narrative?

To own Virgin Galactic today, you really have to believe that its suborbital spaceflight platform can eventually support a viable commercial business, well beyond the tiny US$1.66 million revenue base and large annual losses. The key near term catalysts still sit around flight cadence, cash burn and any signs that demand for astronaut and research seats can translate into more meaningful sales. The new LLNL sensor collaboration adds an interesting angle here: it hints at potential government or research payload work on future launch vehicles and HALE-Heavy aircraft, but it is unlikely to move the financial dial in the short term given current guidance of roughly US$300,000 Q4 2025 revenue. For now, the biggest risks remain funding needs, ongoing dilution and execution on a path to “meaningful revenue,” with the LLNL deal more of an option than a fix.

However, the share price history and ongoing dilution tell a story investors should not ignore. Virgin Galactic Holdings' shares have been on the rise but are still potentially undervalued. Find out how large the opportunity might be.

Exploring Other Perspectives

Seventeen fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community range from under US$1 to nearly US$80 per share, reflecting sharply different expectations. Set against the company’s very small revenue base and persistent losses, this spread underlines how much future execution, funding and non-tourism revenue opportunities may shape outcomes, so it is worth weighing several of these viewpoints side by side.

Explore 17 other fair value estimates on Virgin Galactic Holdings - why the stock might be worth less than half the current price!

Build Your Own Virgin Galactic Holdings Narrative

Disagree with this assessment? Create your own narrative in under 3 minutes - extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd.

• A great starting point for your Virgin Galactic Holdings research is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards and 3 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.
• Our free Virgin Galactic Holdings research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual - the Snowflake - making it easy to evaluate Virgin Galactic Holdings' overall financial health at a glance.

Want Some Alternatives?

These stocks are moving-our analysis flagged them today. Act fast before the price catches up:

• AI is about to change healthcare. These 29 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10b in market cap - there's still time to get in early.
• Rare earth metals are an input to most high-tech devices, military and defence systems and electric vehicles. The global race is on to secure supply of these critical minerals. Beat the pack to uncover the 35 best rare earth metal stocks of the very few that mine this essential strategic resource.
• We've found 10 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com