Virgin Galactic (SPCE) POS AMProspectus update (post-effective amendment)

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

The total amount of our authorized capital stock consists of 700,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

Holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive or other similar subscription rights to purchase any of our securities. Our common stock is neither convertible nor redeemable. Unless our board of directors determines otherwise, we expect to issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.

Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote per share on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders, as provided by our certificate of incorporation. Our bylaws provide that the holders of a majority of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum at all meetings of stockholders for the transaction of business. When a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is required to take action, unless otherwise specified by law, the Stockholders’ Agreement, dated October 25, 2019, by and among us, Virgin Investments Limited, a company limited by shares under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“VIL”), SCH Sponsor Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Sponsor”), Chamath Palihapitiya and the other parties thereto (as may be amended from time to time, the “Stockholders’ Agreement”), our bylaws or our certificate of incorporation, and except for the election of directors, which is determined by a plurality vote. There are no cumulative voting rights.

Under the Stockholders’ Agreement, VIL has the right to designate three directors (the “VG designees”) for as long as VIL and Aabar Space, Inc., a company limited by shares under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“Aabar”) beneficially own a number of shares of our common stock representing at least 50% of the number of shares beneficially owned by Vieco US immediately following the effective time of the transactions effected on October 25, 2019 in connection with our initial business combination, provided that (x) when such percentage falls below 50%, VIL will have the right to designate only two directors, (y) when such percentage falls below 25%, VIL will have the right to designate only one director and (z) when such percentage falls below 10%, VIL will not have the right to designate any directors. For purposes of determining the number of shares beneficially owned by VIL and the extent of VIL’s nomination and consent rights under the Stockholders’ Agreement, the shares distributed to Aabar are deemed to be held by VIL until such time as Aabar transfers or sells such shares, subject to certain exceptions, as contemplated by the Stockholders’ Agreement. Each of the Sponsor and Mr. Palihapitiya have agreed to vote, or cause to vote, all of their outstanding shares of common stock at any annual or special meeting of stockholders in which directors are elected, so as to cause the election of the VG designees.

Additionally, pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement, Mr. Palihapitiya has the right to designate two directors (the “CP designees”), one of which must qualify as an “independent director” under applicable stock exchange regulations, for as long as Mr. Palihapitiya and the Sponsor collectively beneficially own a number of shares of our common stock representing at least 90% of the number of shares beneficially owned by them as of immediately following the effective time of the transactions effected on October 25, 2019 in connection with our initial business

Each holder of shares of our common stock is entitled to the payment of dividends and other distributions as may be declared by our board of directors from time to time out of our assets or funds legally available for dividends or other distributions. These rights are subject to the preferential rights of the holders of our preferred stock, if any, and any contractual limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends.

Each holder of our common stock is subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of any series of our preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

If we are involved in voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, or a similar event, each holder of our common stock will participate pro rata in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities, subject to prior distribution rights of our preferred stock, if any, then outstanding.

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer or discourage another party from acquiring control of our company. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of our company to first negotiate with our board of directors, which we believe may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of our stockholders. However, they also give our board of directors the power to discourage mergers that some stockholders may favor.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that a special meeting of stockholders may be called by the (a) the chairperson of our board of directors or (b) our board of directors.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and not by written consent.

Pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement, VIL has the exclusive right to remove one or more of the VIL directors from our board of directors and Mr. Palihapitiya has the exclusive right to remove one or more of Mr. Palihapitiya’s directors from our board of directors. VIL and Mr. Palihapitiya have the exclusive right to designate directors for election to our board of directors to fill vacancies created by reason of death, removal or resignation of the VIL designees and the CP designees, respectively. VIL will not be able to remove independent directors until the expiration of the earlier of (x)(i) VIL no longer has the right to designate two directors to our board of directors and

The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote on amendments to a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws is required to approve such amendment, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our bylaws may be further amended, altered, changed or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors. However, pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement, no amendment to our certificate of incorporation or bylaws may be made without VIL’s prior written consent for so long as VIL has the right to designate at least one director to our board of directors under the Stockholders’ Agreement.

VIL has expansive rights of approval for certain material operational and other matters for us, including:

Section 203 of the DGCL provides that if a person acquires 15% or more of the voting stock of a Delaware corporation, such person becomes an “interested stockholder” and may not engage in certain “business combinations” with such corporation for a period of three years from the time such person acquired 15% or more of such corporation’s voting stock, unless: (1) the board of directors of such corporation approves the acquisition of stock or the merger transaction before the time that the person becomes an interested stockholder, (2) the interested stockholder owns at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation at the time the merger transaction commences (excluding voting stock owned by directors who are also officers and certain employee stock plans) or (3) the merger transaction is approved by the board of directors of such corporation and at a meeting of stockholders, not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. A Delaware corporation may elect in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws not to be governed by this particular Delaware law.

Under our certificate of incorporation, we have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL.

Pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement, until the Sunset Date, our board of directors may not approve any transaction (excluding those involving consideration less than $0.1 million) between an interested stockholder (defined as VIL or any affiliate of VIL) and us, without the affirmative vote of at least a majority of our directors that are not designees of VIL.

Under certain circumstances, this provision would make it more difficult for us to effect various transactions with a person who would be an “interested stockholder” for these purposes. However, this provision would not be likely to discourage any parties interested in entering into a potential transaction with us, other than VIL and its affiliates. This provision may encourage VIL and VIL’s affiliates, to the extent they are interested in entering into certain significant transactions with us, to negotiate in advance with the full board of directors because the board approval requirement would be satisfied by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of our directors that are not designees of VIL.

Under our certificate of incorporation, an explicit waiver regarding corporate opportunities is granted to certain “exempted persons” (including VIL and Mr. Palihapitiya and their respective affiliates, successors, directly or indirectly managed funds or vehicles, partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers and employees, including any of the foregoing who serve as our directors). Such “exempted persons” will not include us or our officers or employees and such waiver will not apply to any corporate opportunity that is expressly offered to any of our directors in their capacity as such (in which such opportunity we do not renounce an interest or expectancy). Our certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (i) the exempted persons do not have any fiduciary duty to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us, (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, business opportunities that are from time to time presented to the exempted persons, even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so and (iii) no exempted person will have any duty to communicate or offer such business opportunity to us and no exempted person will be liable to us for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a director or officer or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such exempted person pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another person or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to us.

Our certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, and our bylaws provide that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by such law. We have entered into and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. Under the terms of such indemnification agreements, we are required to indemnify each of our directors and officers, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Delaware, if the basis of the indemnitee’s involvement was by reason of the fact that the indemnitee is or was our director or officer or was serving at our request in an official capacity for another entity. We must indemnify our officers and directors against all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs of any type or nature whatsoever, including any and all expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in, participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in any completed, actual, pending or threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under the indemnification agreement. The indemnification agreements also require us, if so requested, to advance all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs that such director or officer incurred, provided that such person will return any such advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification by us. Any claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to satisfy successful third-party claims against us and may reduce the amount of money available to us.

Our certificate of incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name against our directors, officers or employees for breach of fiduciary duty, any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws or other similar actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our certificate of incorporation provides that the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Similarly, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.

The transfer agent for our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of their shares of our common stock:

The selling stockholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of our common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell their shares, from time to time, under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer their shares in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of our common stock or interests therein, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of our securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell their securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge such securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of the shares offered by this

To facilitate an offering of the securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover the over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of the shares offered by them will be the purchase price of the share less discounts or commissions, if any. Each of the selling stockholders reserves the right to accept and, together with their agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of their shares to be made directly or through agents. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale of shares of our common stock being offered by the selling stockholders named herein.

The selling stockholders may engage in at the market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415 of the Securities Act.

The selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of their shares in open market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), provided that they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of that rule.

In connection with an underwritten offering, underwriters or agents may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or from purchasers of the offered shares for whom they may act as agents. In addition, underwriters may sell the shares to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. The selling stockholders and any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in a distribution of the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any profit on the sale of the shares by the selling stockholders and any commissions received by broker-dealers may be deemed to be underwriting commissions under the Securities Act.

To the extent required, the shares of our common stock to be sold, the names of the selling stockholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agent, dealer or underwriter, and any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, shares of our common stock may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states shares of our common stock may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.

If a selling stockholder wants to sell its shares of our common stock under this prospectus in the United States, the selling stockholders will also need to comply with state securities laws, also known as “Blue Sky laws,” with regard to secondary sales. All states offer a variety of exemption from registration for secondary sales. Many states, for example, have an exemption for secondary trading of securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act or for securities of issuers that publish continuous disclosure of financial and non-financial information in a

Any person who purchases shares of our common stock from a selling stockholder offered by this prospectus who then wants to sell such shares will also have to comply with Blue Sky laws regarding secondary sales.

When the registration statement that includes this prospectus becomes effective, and a selling stockholder indicates in which state(s) he desires to sell his shares of our common stock we will be able to identify whether it will need to register or will rely on an exemption there from.

We have advised the selling stockholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the activities of the selling stockholders and their affiliates. In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the selling stockholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The selling stockholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of their shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

We have agreed to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, the selling stockholders (and each selling stockholder’s officers, directors and agents and each person who controls such selling stockholder within the meaning of the Securities Act) against liabilities resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (including any amendment or supplement thereof) or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information or affidavit furnished in writing to us by such selling stockholder expressly for use herein. We have also agreed to keep the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which all of their shares are disposed of pursuant to this prospectus; (ii) such shares shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such shares not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by us and subsequent public distribution of such shares shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (iii) such shares shall have ceased to be outstanding; (iv) such shares have been sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or (v) such shares have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.

We are required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus, including with regard to compliance with state securities or Blue Sky laws. Otherwise, all discounts, commissions or fees incurred in connection with the sale of shares of our common stock offered hereby will be paid by the selling stockholders.

Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or who is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Subsection (b) of Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Section 145 further provides that to the extent a director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; that indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and the indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and administrators. Section 145 also empowers the corporation to purchase

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Any underwriting agreement or distribution agreement that the registrant enters into with any underwriters or agents involved in the offering or sale of any securities registered hereby may require such underwriters or dealers to indemnify the registrant, some or all of its directors and officers and its controlling persons, if any, for specified liabilities, which may include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additionally, our certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, and our bylaws provide that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by such law. We have entered into and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our board of directors. Under the terms of such indemnification agreements, we required to indemnify each of our directors and officers, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Delaware, if the basis of the indemnitee’s involvement was by reason of the fact that the indemnitee is or was our director or officer or was serving at our request in an official capacity for another entity. We must indemnify our officers and directors against all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs of any type or nature whatsoever, including any and all expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in, participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in any completed, actual, pending or threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under the indemnification agreement. The indemnification agreements also require us, if so requested, to advance all reasonable fees, expenses, charges and other costs that such director or officer incurred, provided that such person will return any such advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification by us. Any claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to satisfy successful third-party claims against us and may reduce the amount of money available to us.

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: