Saucer-like space capsule drops down in Australian outback, marking 1st for commercial space industry

Australia’s First Commercial Spacecraft Lands Successfully, Ushering in New Space Era

Winnebago-2 (W-2) capsule, the first commercial spacecraft to successfully land in Australia. Credit: Australian Space Agency A small space capsule made history recently when it became the first commercial spacecraft to land in Australia. According to the Australian Space Agency, the capsule Winnebago-2 (W-2) reentered Earth’s atmosphere and touched down at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia on Feb. 28. The spacecraft, built by Californi…

Saucer-like space capsule drops down in Australian outback, marking 1st for commercial space industry

Varda Space Industries' W-2 space capsule reentered Earth's atmosphere and touched down in the Australian outback last month, becoming the first commercial spacecraft to land Down Under.

Rose Law Group partner and director of space law Shruti Gurudanti comments on landing of saucer-like space capsule in Australia — 1st for commercial space industry - Rose Law Group Reporter

The W-2 capsule landed safely at the Koonibba Test Range, operated by Southern Launch. Photo by William Godwin, Courtesy Varda Space Industries. By Live Science A saucer-like space capsule touched down in the Australian outback last month, marking the first time a commercial spacecraft has landed Down Under. Varda Space Industries’ Winnebago-2 (W-2) space capsule reentered Earth’s atmosphere and dropped down in South Australia on Feb. 28. In doi…

Virgin Galactic returns to space tourism with new six-person spacecraft Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson in 2004, plans to launch its new Delta spacecraft in the summer of 2026. It launched its first suborbital space flight nearly two years ago. Suborbital flights are flights that orbit at an altitude of between 80 kilometers and 100 kilometers, when tourists can see the entire spherical c…