Posted 2/14/2024, 11:41:27 PM
Varda Space Industries Cleared to Retrieve Pharmaceutical Spacecraft in First-of-Its-Kind US Landing
- Varda Space Industries gets regulatory approval to return its pharmaceutical manufacturing spacecraft to Earth after 8 months in orbit
- The spacecraft contains Ritonavir crystals manufactured in microgravity for treating HIV/AIDS
- Varda is targeting a landing on February 21 at the Utah Test and Training Range
- This will be the first time the FAA licenses a commercial company to land a spacecraft on U.S. soil
- Varda aims to retrieve spacecraft with manufactured materials monthly by 2026, with the next mission set to land in Australia later this year