Varda Space Industries Achieves Historic Space-Manufactured Drug Return

The California-based startup successfully landed its capsule in Utah, marking a milestone in private space manufacturing.

Varda Space Industries' capsule, carrying space-grown antiviral drug crystals, landed in Utah, heralding a new era in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The mission marks the first time a private company has manufactured a product in zero gravity in its own spacecraft.
The capsule, named Winnebago-1, spent eight months in orbit, producing crystals for Ritonavir, an antiviral drug used to treat HIV.
Varda plans regular trips to low orbit to produce pharmaceuticals in zero gravity, aiming for sustainable business through space manufacturing.
The project received significant backing, including a $60 million grant from the U.S. Defense Department and NASA, highlighting the strategic importance of space manufacturing.