H3 Varda's Second Spacecraft W-2 Successfully Launched to Orbit with SpaceX

H3 Varda's Second Spacecraft W-2 Successfully Launched to Orbit with SpaceX
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 15, 2025

Varda Space Industries has confirmed the successful launch of its second orbital processing spacecraft, W-2, aboard SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare mission. The spacecraft lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and will orbit Earth for several weeks before re-entering the atmosphere and landing at South Australia's Koonibba Test Range.

This event marks Australia's first commercial spacecraft re-entry, signifying a major milestone in the country's space exploration journey. Southern Launch has managed all Australian approvals and provided comprehensive support for the re-entry and recovery process, ensuring the capsule's retrieval from the Australian desert.

Varda Space Industries, innovators in orbital manufacturing technology, have chosen Southern Launch to support their next three W-Series missions. The microgravity environment of space allows for advanced pharmaceutical production that is unattainable on Earth, and the W-2 capsule carries expanded pharmaceutical reactors and key payloads, including a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and a heatshield with a Thermal Protection System (TPS) developed alongside NASA's Ames Research Center.

Southern Launch operates the Koonibba Test Range in collaboration with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation, offering unparalleled flexibility for capsule recovery due to its low airspace usage and remote location. The W-Series missions, which began in 2023, represent a transformative step for commercial in-space manufacturing, which was previously confined to the International Space Station.

In October 2024, the Australian Government granted the first return authorization for a domestic spacecraft under the updated Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018, paving the way for this mission.

Lloyd Damp, CEO of Southern Launch, commented, "The successful launch of the W-2 capsule is only the beginning of this incredibly exciting mission. Our team is now focused on the safe return and recovery of the capsule to the Koonibba Test Range.

By the end of this decade, it is predicted that we will all be using items that contain some element that is produced off Earth. We are incredibly proud to bring this industry to South Australia. In-space manufacturing is the next evolution of our industry capacity as humans. We are so proud to bring this mission to Australia and this first mission signals a new wave of excitement as to what is possible both here on Earth and in space."

Will Bruey, CEO of Varda Space Industries, added, "Varda is honoured to perform Australia's first commercial space re-entry, and we're excited to partner with our friends at Southern Launch to support the development of a thriving Australian space sector. Australia is clear-eyed about the promise of orbital pharmaceutical processing, and Southern Launch have led the way for the future of space infrastructure on Earth."