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In August 2021, Varda Space Industries announced it had signed a contract with [[Rocket Lab]] to acquire three [[Rocket Lab Photon|Photon]] [[satellite bus]]es, with an option to purchase a fourth, to carry out missions to build the space station. The first bus was delivered in Q2 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alamalhodaei |first=Aria |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/11/space-manufacturing-startup-varda-inks-deal-with-rocket-lab-for-three-spacecraft/ |title=Space manufacturing startup Varda inks deal with Rocket Lab for three spacecraft |publisher=[[TechCrunch]] |date=11 August 2021 |access-date=31 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="sn-20211011" /> In October 2021, Varda selected [[SpaceX]] as a launch provider for the first four launches.<ref name="sn-20211011">{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/varda-space-selects-spacex-for-launch-of-first-space-manufacturing-satellite/ |title=Varda Space selects SpaceX for launch of first space manufacturing satellite |work=[[SpaceNews]] |date=11 October 2021 |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref> |
In August 2021, Varda Space Industries announced it had signed a contract with [[Rocket Lab]] to acquire three [[Rocket Lab Photon|Photon]] [[satellite bus]]es, with an option to purchase a fourth, to carry out missions to build the space station. The first bus was delivered in Q2 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alamalhodaei |first=Aria |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/11/space-manufacturing-startup-varda-inks-deal-with-rocket-lab-for-three-spacecraft/ |title=Space manufacturing startup Varda inks deal with Rocket Lab for three spacecraft |publisher=[[TechCrunch]] |date=11 August 2021 |access-date=31 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="sn-20211011" /> In October 2021, Varda selected [[SpaceX]] as a launch provider for the first four launches.<ref name="sn-20211011">{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/varda-space-selects-spacex-for-launch-of-first-space-manufacturing-satellite/ |title=Varda Space selects SpaceX for launch of first space manufacturing satellite |work=[[SpaceNews]] |date=11 October 2021 |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref> |
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Varda Space launched its first {{cvt|300|kg}} spacecraft on [[Falcon 9]]'s Transporter-8 mission in June 2023. Varda's first spacecraft is focused on demonstrating the ability to produce pharmaceuticals in microgravity. Returning the capsule to Earth was planned for mid August 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/12/business/spacex-launch-varda-drug-pharma-space-industry-scn/index.html|title=Forget space tourism. This company wants to make drug manufacturing the next big extraterrestrial business|date=12 June 2023|access-date=14 June 2023}}</ref> Varda Space launched the first vehicle with approval from both the FAA and SpaceX to launch with the understanding Varda, the [[FAA]], and the landing site at [[UTTR]] would deliver a reentry licence before the proposed reentry date. The first proposed reentry date was denied on September 6, 2023 due to issues between the FAA regulatory requirements and the landing site.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/permission-denied-for-reentry-of-vardas-orbiting-experiment-capsule/ |title=Permission denied for reentry of Varda’s orbiting experiment capsule |
Varda Space launched its first {{cvt|300|kg}} spacecraft on [[Falcon 9]]'s Transporter-8 mission in June 2023. Varda's first spacecraft is focused on demonstrating the ability to produce pharmaceuticals in microgravity. Returning the capsule to Earth was planned for mid August 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/12/business/spacex-launch-varda-drug-pharma-space-industry-scn/index.html|title=Forget space tourism. This company wants to make drug manufacturing the next big extraterrestrial business|date=12 June 2023|access-date=14 June 2023}}</ref> Varda Space launched the first vehicle with approval from both the [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] and SpaceX to launch with the understanding Varda, the [[FAA]], and the landing site at [[UTTR]] would deliver a reentry licence before the proposed reentry date. The first proposed reentry date was denied on September 6, 2023 due to issues between the FAA regulatory requirements and the landing site.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/permission-denied-for-reentry-of-vardas-orbiting-experiment-capsule/ |title=Permission denied for reentry of Varda’s orbiting experiment capsule |
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|publisher=[[ArsTechnica]] |date=21 September 2023 |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref> Varda subsequently started exploring options to direct capsule reentry to the [[Koonibba Test Range|Koonnibba Test Range]] in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/10/varda-looks-to-australia-after-delays-in-obtaining-us-reentry-approval/ |title=Varda looks to Australia after delays in obtaining US reentry approval |
|publisher=[[ArsTechnica]] |date=21 September 2023 |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref> Varda subsequently started exploring options to direct capsule reentry to the [[Koonibba Test Range|Koonnibba Test Range]] in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/10/varda-looks-to-australia-after-delays-in-obtaining-us-reentry-approval/ |title=Varda looks to Australia after delays in obtaining US reentry approval |
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|publisher=[[ArsTechnica]] |date=20 October 2023 |access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref> However, on February 14th, 2024, Varda was successfully granted a re-entry licence by the FAA, and they will be re-entering on US soil on February 21st, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varda Space Industries |date=14 February 2024 |title=An update on Varda’s W-1 Mission: |url=https://twitter.com/vardaspace/status/1757889416045953061 |access-date=14 February 2024 |website=Twitter}}</ref> |
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|publisher=[[ArsTechnica]] |date=20 October 2023 |access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref> |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Parts of this article (those related to documentation) need to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2023)
|
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Space industry |
| Founded | 2020; 4 years ago (2020) |
| Founder | Will Bruey, Delian Asparouhov, and Daniel Marshall |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Delian Asparouhov, president Will Bruey (CEO) |
| Website | varda.com |
Varda Space Industries is a privately held American space research company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in November 2020, the company designs, builds, and flies spacecraft that manufacture materials in microgravity. The company targets in-space manufacturing of materials that are difficult to produce in Earth's gravity, and brings those materials back to Earth with their atmospheric reentry vehicle. Investors in the company include venture capitalists such as Khosla Ventures and Peter Thiel's Founders Fund.[1]
Varda Space was founded in November 2020 by Will Bruey, Delian Asparouhov, and Daniel Marshall. Will Bruey is a former electrical engineer of SpaceX, and Delian Asparouhov is associated with Founders Fund. Varda Space Industries began designing their first generation of space vehicles in January 2021 to manufacture new material in microgavity, and send those materials back to Earth in a reenetry capsule. Manufacturing materials in the microgravity environment, and absence of dust particles, is beneficial for certain pharmaceuticals, fiber optics, and computer chips. In July 2021, Varda Space received US$42 million in a funding round from various venture capitalists, after receiving US$9 million in an initial funding round in December 2020.[2]
In August 2021, Varda Space Industries announced it had signed a contract with Rocket Lab to acquire three Photon satellite buses, with an option to purchase a fourth, to carry out missions to build the space station. The first bus was delivered in Q2 2023.[3][4] In October 2021, Varda selected SpaceX as a launch provider for the first four launches.[4]
Varda Space launched its first 300 kg (660 lb) spacecraft on Falcon 9's Transporter-8 mission in June 2023. Varda's first spacecraft is focused on demonstrating the ability to produce pharmaceuticals in microgravity. Returning the capsule to Earth was planned for mid August 2023.[5] Varda Space launched the first vehicle with approval from both the FAA and SpaceX to launch with the understanding Varda, the FAA, and the landing site at UTTR would deliver a reentry licence before the proposed reentry date. The first proposed reentry date was denied on September 6, 2023 due to issues between the FAA regulatory requirements and the landing site.[6] Varda subsequently started exploring options to direct capsule reentry to the Koonnibba Test Range in Australia.[7] However, on February 14th, 2024, Varda was successfully granted a re-entry licence by the FAA, and they will be re-entering on US soil on February 21st, 2024.[8]
