[[Home|🏠]] <span style="color: LightSlateGray">></span> [[Missions]] <span style="color: LightSlateGray">></span> Varda W Missions
## Mission Details
[[Varda Space Industries]]’s mission architecture centers around the [[Varda Space Industries#🛰️ Space Systems#W-Series|W-Series]] spacecraft, which integrates a manufacturing module with a reentry vehicle. These missions are currently launched on SpaceX rideshare and are designed for short-duration operations in [[🌍 Orbits#LEO|Low Earth Orbit]].
## Spacecraft
![[Varda Space Industries#W-Series]]
## Missions
1. [[#W-1]]
2. [[#W-2]]
3. [[#W-3]]
### W-1
**Launch Date**: June 12 2023
**Reentry Date**: Feb 21 2024
**Launch Vehicle**: [SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-8](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/06/spacex-transporter-8/)
đź”— https://www.varda.com/missions/w-1
The W-1 capsule launched as part of [SpaceX's Transporter-8 rideshare mission](https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-eighth-dedicated-smallsat-rideshare-mission/) on June 12, 2023. It spent over eight months in orbit before successfully reentering at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) on February 21, 2024.
The W-1 capsule carried an experiment to crystallize Ritonavir, an antiviral drug used to treat HIV and hepatitis C, in microgravity conditions. This mission aimed to demonstrate the benefits of in-space manufacturing for pharmaceutical applications.
### W-2
**Launch Date**: Jan 14 2025
**Reentry Date**: Feb 27 2025
**Launch Vehicle**: [SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-12](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/01/transporter-12/)
đź”— https://www.varda.com/missions/w-2
The W-2 capsule launched as part of the [Transporter-12 rideshare mission with SpaceX](https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-131-payloads-on-transporter-12-rideshare-mission/) on Jan. 14, 2025. It spent six weeks in orbit before successfully reentering at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, operated by [Southern Launch](https://www.southernlaunch.space/).
The W-2 capsule carried payloads from Varda partners, including a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and employed a heatshield with a Thermal Protection System (TPS) developed in collaboration with [[NASA]]’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. These payloads are in addition to Varda’s expanded pharmaceutical reactor.
![[Pasted image 20250301152847.png]]
### W-3
**Launch Date**: March 13 2025
**Reentry Date**: May 14 2025
**Launch Vehicle**: [SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-13](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/03/t13/)
đź”— https://www.varda.com/missions/w-3
The W-3 capsule was launched March 14th 2025 on SpaceX rideshare [Transporter 13](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter13). It spent six weeks in orbit before reentering at the Utah Test and Training Range, operated by the [[U.S. Air Force]].
The W-3 capsule carried payloads from Varda partners, including advanced materials experiments for commercial customers and a reentry sensor suite for [[NASA]]. It also features upgrades to Varda’s pharmaceutical manufacturing system, refining production processes tested on previous missions.
đź”— Backup Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP4hG0QmHog
## W-4
>[!summary] Bus Change
>Starting with the W-4 mission Varda utilizing in-house built spacecraft for on-orbit manufacturing and will no longer contract Rocket lab for their [[Pioneer]] bus.
**Launch Date**: June 23 2025
**Reentry Date**: Pending
**Launch Vehicle**: [SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-14](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/06/transporter-14/)
đź”— https://www.varda.com/missions/w-4
W-4 launched on June 23, 2025. The W-4 mission is the maiden flight for Varda’s new satellite bus, designed and built in Varda’s El Segundo headquarters and manufacturing facility, and marks several other firsts for the company and the ever-expanding orbital economy.
This mission will be the first that utilizes a [Varda-made satellite bus](https://spacenews.com/varda-to-launch-its-first-in-house-designed-spacecraft-for-on-orbit-manufacturing/). While the mission profile will be the same as previous missions, the entirety of this mission, with the exception of launch, is built and fully operated by Varda.
While in orbit, the satellite bus will provide the capsule with power, communications, attitude control, and propulsion. Once the orbital manufacturing portion of the mission is complete, the W-4 capsule will separate from the satellite bus and reenter the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25 and ultimately land safely at the [Koonibba Test Range](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koonibba_Test_Range) in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch.
News
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| File | Title | Published |
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| [[News/Two Earth Return Missions in Two Months Rocket Lab Demonstrates Rapid Re-entry Capability with Third Pioneer Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries.md\|Two Earth Return Missions in Two Months Rocket Lab Demonstrates Rapid Re-entry Capability with Third Pioneer Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries]] | Two Earth Return Missions in Two Months: Rocket Lab Demonstrates Rapid Re-entry Capability with Third Pioneer Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries | May 14, 2025 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Successfully Deployed to Orbit, Powering Varda Space Industries' Third In-Space Manufacturing Mission.md\|Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Successfully Deployed to Orbit, Powering Varda Space Industries' Third In-Space Manufacturing Mission]] | Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Successfully Deployed to Orbit, Powering Varda Space Industries' Third In-Space Manufacturing Mission \| Rocket Lab | March 15, 2025 |
| [[News/Touchdown For In-Space Manufacturing Mission Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Delivers Re-Entry for Varda’s In-Space Manufacturing Capsule in South Australia.md\|Touchdown For In-Space Manufacturing Mission Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Delivers Re-Entry for Varda’s In-Space Manufacturing Capsule in South Australia]] | Touchdown For In-Space Manufacturing Mission: Rocket Lab’s Pioneer Spacecraft Delivers Re-Entry for Varda’s In-Space Manufacturing Capsule in South Australia \| Rocket Lab | February 28, 2025 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Delivers Third In-Orbit Manufacturing Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries.md\|Rocket Lab Delivers Third In-Orbit Manufacturing Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries]] | Rocket Lab Delivers Third In-Orbit Manufacturing Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries \| Rocket Lab | February 12, 2025 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab’s Second Reentry Class Spacecraft for Varda Operating on Orbit Supporting Payloads for Air Force Research Lab and NASA.md\|Rocket Lab’s Second Reentry Class Spacecraft for Varda Operating on Orbit Supporting Payloads for Air Force Research Lab and NASA]] | News \| Rocket Lab | January 15, 2025 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Delivers Second Spacecraft, Completes Third for Varda Space Industries.md\|Rocket Lab Delivers Second Spacecraft, Completes Third for Varda Space Industries]] | Rocket Lab Delivers Second Spacecraft, Completes Third for Varda Space Industries | December 17, 2024 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Completes Second Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Advancing In-Space Manufacturing.md\|Rocket Lab Completes Second Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Advancing In-Space Manufacturing]] | Rocket Lab Completes Second Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Advancing In-Space Manufacturing | September 26, 2024 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Successfully Returns Spacecraft Capsule to Earth, Brings Back Pharmaceuticals Made in Space.md\|Rocket Lab Successfully Returns Spacecraft Capsule to Earth, Brings Back Pharmaceuticals Made in Space]] | Rocket Lab Successfully Returns Spacecraft Capsule to Earth, Brings Back Pharmaceuticals Made in Space | February 21, 2024 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Spacecraft Built for Varda Successfully Operating on Orbit.md\|Rocket Lab Spacecraft Built for Varda Successfully Operating on Orbit]] | Rocket Lab Spacecraft Built for Varda Successfully Operating on Orbit | June 12, 2023 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Completes Custom-Built Photon Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries.md\|Rocket Lab Completes Custom-Built Photon Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries]] | Rocket Lab Completes Custom-Built Photon Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries | May 09, 2023 |
| [[News/Varda Space Industries Orders Fourth Photon Spacecraft from Rocket Lab to Enable In-Space Manufacturing.md\|Varda Space Industries Orders Fourth Photon Spacecraft from Rocket Lab to Enable In-Space Manufacturing]] | Varda Space Industries Orders Fourth Photon Spacecraft from Rocket Lab to Enable In-Space Manufacturing | May 24, 2022 |
| [[News/Rocket Lab Inks Deal with Varda Space Industries to Supply Multiple Photon Spacecraft for Space Manufacturing Missions.md\|Rocket Lab Inks Deal with Varda Space Industries to Supply Multiple Photon Spacecraft for Space Manufacturing Missions]] | Rocket Lab Inks Deal with Varda Space Industries to Supply Multiple Photon Spacecraft for Space Manufacturing Missions | August 11, 2021 |
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