Varda unveils W4 spacecraft with first FAA Part 450 reentry license and new satellite bus
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 26, 2025

Varda Space Industries launched its fourth mission, W-4, on Sunday, marking the inaugural flight of a fully integrated spacecraft built entirely in-house at its El Segundo facility. The mission, which took off aboard a SpaceX Transporter-14 rideshare from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 2:25 pm PT, represents several operational milestones for the company.

Unlike prior missions, Varda independently developed and operates every component of the W-4 spacecraft aside from the launch vehicle. This includes the capsule, heatshield, satellite bus, and pharmaceutical payload. The mission architecture remains consistent with earlier flights, involving in-orbit pharmaceutical processing followed by high-speed Earth reentry and recovery.

The W-4 spacecraft is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere at speeds surpassing Mach 25 before landing at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, managed by Southern Launch. The satellite bus will manage power, communications, propulsion, and orientation control throughout its orbital operations.

"This is the debut flight of a new commercial vehicle, and nothing is more exciting," said CEO Will Bruey. "Vertical integration allows us to match the tempo needed for our mission set, benefiting both pharma and government clients."

Key advancements in this mission include Varda's first internally manufactured heatshield, a new solution-based crystallization payload, and regulatory approval under the FAA's Part 450. The new reentry license permits W-series capsule returns through 2029 without requiring new safety methodology submissions for each flight.

The onboard crystallization module aims to form small molecule drug crystals using fluid-based processes. This approach, widely used on Earth for controlling drug properties, is being adapted for microgravity research. "We're building in-space process tools to match pharmaceutical industry standards and expand crystallization science," said Adrian Radocea, Varda's Chief Science Officer.

The FAA's issuance of the first-ever Part 450 vehicle operator license is a regulatory milestone. "This framework enables us to scale our operations while upholding safety," said Manoli Tsaparikos, Varda's Director of Mission Assurance.

The C-PICA heatshield on W-4 is Varda's first commercially produced unit under a NASA Tipping Point award and technology transfer deal. C-PICA, initially developed at NASA Ames, has protected all prior Varda reentry capsules. The heatshield effort supports NASA STMD's objective to grow private sector capability in critical space technologies.

Related Links
Varda
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com