This is how private capsule reenter atmosphere at Mach 25

In a significant advancement for space manufacturing technologies, Varda Space Industries successfully landed a capsule in the Utah desert on February 21, marking a milestone for the commercial space industry. The landing, part of the company's efforts to demonstrate the viability of producing pharmaceuticals in space, took place at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), west of Salt Lake City, at 4:40 p.m. Eastern.

This mission, conducted in collaboration with Rocket Lab, utilized a capsule from Varda's W-Series 1 mission. The capsule, approximately 90 centimeters in diameter and weighing under 90 kilograms, was launched in June 2023 aboard a Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft during SpaceX’s Transporter-8 rideshare mission. The primary objective was to test space manufacturing technologies by producing ritonavir crystals, a drug used in HIV treatment, to be returned to Earth for analysis.

Varda faced several regulatory hurdles, including delays in securing a commercial reentry license from the Federal Aviation Administration and necessary approvals from the U.S. Air Force, which operates UTTR. However, after receiving the FAA reentry license on February 14 and clearance for landing at UTTR on February 21, Varda executed the mission flawlessly.

The reentry of the capsule was a spectacle, as Varda shared raw footage of the space capsule's fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere at Mach 25, from its separation from the carrier satellite to its bumpy arrival on the desert floor.

Peter Beck, chief executive of Rocket Lab, praised the mission as "a phenomenal feat and impressive display of teamwork," highlighting the success in demonstrating in-space manufacturing and the safe return of the pharmaceutical product on the first attempt. The capsule will be shipped back to Varda's California headquarters for thorough analysis, with the ritonavir samples onboard sent to Indiana-based Improved Pharma for further examination.

Moreover, Varda plans to share data from the reentry with NASA and the Air Force under a contract, contributing valuable insights into the dynamics of space capsule reentry. This successful mission not only paves the way for future in-space manufacturing but also has implications for human spaceflight missions, with Rocket Lab's Beck noting the potential applications for its Neutron rocket currently under development.

Varda is already preparing for a second mission, slated for launch this summer, in partnership with Rocket Lab. This next venture aims to land the capsule at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, an agreement announced in October with Southern Launch. This upcoming mission is expected to face fewer logistical challenges than UTTR, given the range's fewer competing users, promising smoother operations for Varda's innovative space manufacturing projects.