California company celebrates successful return of medical research space capsule

California company celebrates successful return of medical research space capsule

A Southern California company is celebrating the successful launch and return of a space capsule designed to change how pharmaceuticals are processed in Earth's low orbit. Varda Space Industries, based in El Segundo, launched its W-2 capsule aboard a Space X rocket in mid-January. It carried an array of research equipment and was protected by a heat shield developed in conjunction with NASA, the company said in a news release. After six weeks in…

Varda space capsule returns to Earth in 1st commercial landing in Australian Outback

Varda Space has successfully landed a reentry capsule in Australia, delivering critical data that could advance in-space manufacturing and hypersonic technologies.

History made! South Australia welcomes world-first space return – SASIC

South Australia has reached a major milestone in its space industry with the first-ever successful re-entry of a commercial spacecraft to a commercial site at Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range last week. The historic event marks the first time a commercial payload has returned to Australian soil, further solidifying South Australia’s role as a key player in the global space industry. US-based Varda Space Industries led the mission, pioneerin…

Australia Sees First Commercial Space Reentry

For the first time, a spacecraft has reentered the Earth's atmosphere and landed in Australia. The Varda Space Industries W-2 spacecraft returned to Earth last week, touching down at the Koonibba Test Range after six weeks in orbit."This mission marks an incredible step forward for Australia as a focal point for reentries." Lloyd Damp, Southern LaunchThe W-2 capsule carried a spectrometer built by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and emp…