Varda Space capsule successfully reenters Earth in Australia

A small space capsule from Varda Space has successfully completed its mission and captured breathtaking footage of its reentry into Earth's atmosphere. The W-2 capsule landed on February 27 at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia after spending six weeks in space. The 265-pound capsule launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter 12 mission. The company has shared a video showing dramatic scenes from the capsule's fiery descent back to Earth. During reentry, the capsule reached speeds greater than Mach 25, which is 25 times the speed of sound. The final moments of the video highlight colorful sparks as the capsule interacts with the thick atmosphere. It landed safely with the aid of a parachute and was quickly retrieved. W-2 carried important equipment from the Air Force Research Laboratory and a special reactor for producing pharmaceuticals in space. This mission aims to gather data for developing new technologies in hypersonic flight and advance in-space manufacturing. Varda Space hopes to establish itself in the emerging industry of in-space manufacturing, making use of microgravity to create products like medicines. This successful mission follows last year's W-1 mission, which ruled eight months in orbit and returned antiviral drug crystals to Earth.