Rocket Lab Delivers Third Pioneer Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries

Rocket Lab Delivers Third Pioneer Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 13, 2025

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully delivered its third Pioneer spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Inc. ("Varda") to Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in preparation for an upcoming launch. This marks the latest milestone in Rocket Lab's collaboration with Varda, with the second spacecraft having launched just weeks earlier.

The newly delivered spacecraft, designated W-3, will be instrumental in Varda's next orbital manufacturing and hypersonic reentry mission. Earlier this month, W-2 was launched and is currently operational in orbit, carrying payloads from the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA's Ames Research Center. W-2's mission is focused on expanding Varda's pharmaceutical processing capabilities in microgravity before reentering and landing in South Australia.

Built upon Rocket Lab's Pioneer platform, W-3 integrates a range of advanced, vertically integrated spacecraft components, including propulsion systems, flight software, avionics, reaction wheels, star trackers, separation mechanisms, solar panels, radios, composite structures, and propellant tanks. The spacecraft is designed to provide critical power, communication, propulsion, and attitude control for Varda's 120kg manufacturing capsule, which leverages the unique environment of microgravity to produce materials and products that are challenging or impossible to manufacture on Earth.

Upon completion of its in-orbit production phase, Rocket Lab and Varda will execute a series of operations to guide the spacecraft through reentry, landing, and capsule recovery at the Koonibba Test Range in Australia, managed by Southern Launch.

"Delivering W-3 while W-2 is actively operating in orbit demonstrates our team's exceptional ability to manage multiple complex missions in parallel. It really highlights the skill of our team and the strength of our integrated spacecraft technologies," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck.

Wendy Shimata, Vice President of Autonomous Systems at Varda Space Industries, added, "By increasing the cadence of manufacture, launch, and reentry, we are building the foundation for a thriving orbital economy. Our goal is to decrease the time between missions until it's commonplace for capsules to bring products made in space back to people on Earth."

The W-3 mission is slated for launch no earlier than March from VSFB. Meanwhile, Rocket Lab is finalizing the fourth and final spacecraft for Varda at its Spacecraft Production Complex and Headquarters in Long Beach, California.