Varda launches W-4, its first mission on an in-house satellite bus

Varda Space Industries/W-series capsules

Varda launched W-4 on a SpaceX rideshare on June 23, its first mission using a satellite bus designed and built entirely in-house. The vehicle carried pharmaceutical processing experiments and achieved an FAA license for capsule reentries through 2029, the first vehicle operator license under FAA Part 450.

• W-4 designed and built by Varda in El Segundo; first in-house satellite platform.
• Nearly one year in orbit; reentered May 10, 2026; new approach to pharmaceutical processing in microgravity.
• FAA Part 450 vehicle operator license permits reentries through 2029; first of its kind.
• Varda manufactured first homemade heatshield; demonstrated in-orbit manufacturing capabilities.