Varda Space Industries successfully tests in-space manufacturing
ScienceAlert — February 29, 2024, 05:01 AM UTC
Summary: Varda Space Industries' W-1 spacecraft successfully landed at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, 2024, after reentry speeds reached Mach 25. The capsule, part of a Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft, was used to test in-space manufacturing technologies, producing ritonavir, an antiviral drug. The company aims to make low Earth orbit more accessible to commercial industries. The capsule and pharmaceutical product were successfully brought back on the first attempt.
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