Varda Space Industries Granted Historic FAA Approval for Spacecraft Reentry

The approval marks the first under new FAA regulations, paving the way for future commercial space missions.

Varda Space Industries has received FAA approval to return a capsule from its first mission, marking a significant milestone in commercial space reentry.
The capsule, part of Varda's W-Series 1 spacecraft, is scheduled to land at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, carrying pharmaceutical experiments.
This approval is the first under new FAA regulations known as Part 450, designed to streamline the commercial spaceflight licensing process.
Varda's mission demonstrates the potential for manufacturing pharmaceuticals in microgravity, with the capsule containing crystals of the drug Ritonavir, used to treat HIV/AIDS.
The company plans to continue its space manufacturing efforts, with a second mission scheduled to land in Australia's Koonibba Test Range later this year.