Varda Space Industries Makes History with the First Successful Commercial Space Reentry in Australia

The company's second capsule, W-2, returned to Earth safely at the Koonibba Test Range completing a dual-purpose mission with payloads from the Air Force and NASA.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Varda Space Industries, Inc., a microgravity-enabled life sciences company, today announced the successful landing of its second reentry capsule, W-2, and the completion of the company's second mission. At 6:32 AM Pacific Time today, W-2 touched down at the Koonibba Test Range after six weeks in orbit.

The W-2 capsule carried a spectrometer built by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and employed a heatshield developed in collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. The capsule also carried internal research that will expand Varda's pharmaceutical processing capacity and capability.

The AFRL spectrometer, known as OSPREE (Optical Sensing of Plasmas in the ReEntry Environment), recorded spectral emission measurements of the reentry plasma environment around the capsule as it reentered the Earth's atmosphere at speeds in excess of Mach 25. The OSPREE sensor, developed by AFRL Principal Investigator Captain Ashwin Rao, will yield the first in situ optical emission measurements of a spacecraft in true atmospheric reentry in history.

The partnership between AFRL and Varda is a cornerstone of the Prometheus program, which addresses a national security need to accelerate the ability to test and modernize high-hypersonic systems and reentry technologies through a low-cost, high cadence commercial flight testbed.

"By partnering with the commercial space entities like Varda, AFRL can provide the Government S&T community expanded access to testing in true hypersonic conditions. Prometheus fills a longstanding experimentation gap for the maturation of future reentry system technologies," said Dr. Erin Vaughan, AFRL Prometheus Lead.

The recovered capsule will undergo processing with Varda's payload partners at Southern Launch's facilities before it is returned to Varda's Los Angeles headquarters for further analysis.

Operated by Southern Launch, the Koonibba Test Range is a 15,830 square mile commercial launch and reentry port in South Australia. Varda's capsule is the first to reenter at the range, as well as the first-ever commercial spacecraft to land on Australian soil. Previously, Varda's W-1 capsule was the first commercial spacecraft to land on US soil when it reentered at the Utah Test and Training Range in Feb. 2024.

Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said, "This mission marks an incredible step forward for Australia as a focal point for reentries. The Koonibba Test Range is fully instrumented with telemetry, radars and ground and airborne optical and spectral image capture capabilities. Southern Launch is looking forward to continuing to contribute our world-class facilities, re-entry permitting, and range operations to future missions with Varda and their partners."

The W-2 capsule launched as part of theTransporter-12 rideshare mission with SpaceX on Jan. 14. While in orbit, W-2 was supported by a Rocket Lab-designed Pioneer satellite bus, which provided systems for power, communications, propulsion, and attitude control for the 120 kg W-2 capsule.

"We are ecstatic to have W-2 back on our home planet safely and are proud to support significant reentry research for our government partners as we continue building a thriving foundation for economic expansion to low Earth orbit," said Varda CEO Will Bruey. "What's next?"

Distribution Unlimited; Approved for Public Release. Public Affairs Release #AFRL-2025-0519.

About Varda

Varda Space Industries is making reentry as common as launch. We are building the infrastructure for a thriving low Earth orbit economy, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The company operates out of El Segundo, California with office and industrial production space. Follow Varda on X (@vardaspace), Instagram (@vardaspaceindustries), and LinkedIn.

For Investor Inquires: ir@varda.com

For Media Inquiries: media@varda.com 

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** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Varda Space Industries Makes History with the First Successful Commercial Space Reentry in Australia

Varda Space Industries Makes History with the First Successful Commercial Space Reentry in Australia

Varda Space Industries Makes History with the First Successful Commercial Space Reentry in Australia

SINGAPORE, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Bitcoin surged back above $100,000, the crypto market saw a notable resurgence in trading activity and investor enthusiasm over the past week. On HTX, several trending tokens—spanning Solana Memecoins, Ethereum Memes, AI, and Restaking sectors—recorded sharp gains and significant trading volume from May 6 to May 12. Below are the recently standout tokens based on 7-day performance:

Solana Meme Sector

MOODENG (+521%)

Inspired by the viral pygmy hippopotamus "Moo Deng" in Thailand, this token combined community-driven buzz and the surging popularity of Solana Meme coins to become the week's most impressive gainer, skyrocketing over fivefold.

For details, please read: What is MOODENG?

GOAT (+164%)

As the First meme coin created by truth_terminal, GOAT is inspired by a notorious internet meme and becomes a symbol of the AI's capacity for randomness, disruption, and memetic influence. Positioned at the intersection of AI and meme culture, GOAT quickly captured market attention with over $200 million in trading volume just days after its launch.

For details, please read: What is GOAT?

PNUT (+147%)

PNUT pays tribute to Peanut the Squirrel, which was taken away by NYSDEC and euthanised. It blends political satire with meme culture, gaining further attention after Elon Musk reposted related content on X, driving strong community engagement.

For details, please read: What is PNUT?

GRIFFAIN (+78%)

Griffain is a blockchain-based AI platform designed to operate within the Solana ecosystem. The project focuses on creating a robust and scalable DeFi solution that supports seamless token swaps, liquidity provision, and ecosystem growth. It aims to empower users with efficient tools for trading and managing digital assets while maintaining transparency and decentralization as core principles.

For details, please read: What is GRIFFAIN?

Ethereum Meme Sector

NEIRO (+104%)

NEIRO is the Shiba Inu who has gained popularity on social media, similar to Kabosu (DOGE). As a retro-style Ethereum meme token, NEIRO taps into nostalgia with classic meme aesthetics and narrative playbooks. Its rapid rise last week signals renewed interest in vintage meme formats.

For details, please read: What is NEIRO?

PEPE (+80%)

PEPE leverages the cultural significance of the meme, positioning itself in the meme coin market alongside Dogecoin and Shiba Inu. It has no intrinsic utility beyond speculative trading, with its rapid rise fueled by social media, exchange listings, and the overall meme coin trend. The token's resurgence affirms its solid community foundation and lasting appeal.

For details, please read: What is PEPE?

DEGEN (+161%)

Degen started as a meme token on the BASE chain for rewarding participants in the Farcaster Degen channel but gained quite some attention due to its performance in the secondary market.

For details, please read: What is DEGEN?

AI & Restaking Sectors

KAITO (+113%)

KAITO is the native token and the fundamental building block of the AI-powered InfoFi network. It helps shape the direction of the ecosystem by influencing how attention is allocated across the network.

For details, please read: What is KAITO?

ETHFI (+98%)

ETHFI is the token of Ether.fi, which is a non-custodial liquidity staking protocol that allows stakers to maintain control over their private keys, thereby ensuring the security and autonomy of their assets.

For details, please read: What is ETHFI?

*The above content is not an investment advice and does not constitute any offer or solicitation to offer or recommendation of any investment product.

About HTX

Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses.

As a world-leading gateway to Web3, HTX harbors global capabilities that enable it to provide users with safe and reliable services. Adhering to the growth strategy of "Global Expansion, Thriving Ecosystem, Wealth Effect, Security & Compliance," HTX is dedicated to providing quality services and values to virtual asset enthusiasts worldwide.

To learn more about HTX, please visit HTX Square or https://www.htx.com/, and follow HTX on X, Telegram, and Discord.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

HTX Hot Listings Week 6 May 2025: Top Gainer Up 521% as Bitcoin Breaks $100K Again

HTX Hot Listings Week 6 May 2025: Top Gainer Up 521% as Bitcoin Breaks $100K Again