Varda Launches Second Orbital Spacecraft W-2

Varda Space Industries successfully launched its second orbital processing spacecraft and re-entry capsule, W-2, aboard SpaceX's Transporter-12 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a significant milestone as Australia's first commercial spacecraft re-entry. The W-2 will orbit Earth for several weeks before re-entering and landing at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, with Southern Launch overseeing the mission's approvals and recovery process. The capsule carries various payloads, including a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory and an expanded pharmaceutical reactor, demonstrating the advantages of microgravity for advanced pharmaceutical production. Varda's W-Series missions, which began in 2023, are set to revolutionize commercial in-space manufacturing, previously confined to the International Space Station. The mission's return authorization was granted by the Australian Government under an updated space law, facilitating this groundbreaking event. Varda has selected Southern Launch for its next three missions, further solidifying a partnership aimed at developing Australia's burgeoning space sector.