After 8 months stuck in orbit, Varda's drug spacecraft gets FAA approval to return
Publishing timestamp: 2024-02-14 17:42:16
Summary
Space startup Varda has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to bring its first spacecraft, the W Series-1 capsule, back to Earth. The capsule has been stuck in orbit for eight months and will attempt to land in the Utah desert on February 21. Varda's mission is a demonstration of their in-space manufacturing process, with a focus on producing lucrative materials in a weightless environment. The company plans to manufacture products such as fiber optic cables, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. Varda's system utilizes Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft and expects to return a few kilograms of manufactured material on this mission.
Sentiment: NEUTRAL
Keywords: space industry, transportation, breaking news: technology, breaking news: business, abbvie inc, rocket lab usa inc, business, aerospace and defense industry, technology, business news, the edge,
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/14/varda-drug-spacecraft-gets-faa-approval-to-return.html