Varda launches second mission carrying payloads from AFRL and NASA

Varda launches second mission carrying payloads from AFRL and NASA
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2025

Varda Space Industries, Inc. has successfully launched its second orbital processing and reentry capsule, W-2. The mission was carried aboard SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The W-2 capsule is equipped with advanced payloads from key partners, including a spectrometer developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and a heatshield featuring a Thermal Protection System (TPS) created in collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center. These additions complement Varda's enhanced pharmaceutical reactor, which forms part of the capsule's expanded capabilities.

"Varda is proud to leverage its flight-proven commercial reentry capability as a hypersonic testbed," said Will Bruey, Varda CEO.

AFRL, a leader in aerospace technology innovation, has included its Optical Sensing of Plasmas in the Reentry Environment (OSPREE) payload on this mission. OSPREE is designed to capture spectral data of the reentry plasma environment, marking the first-ever in situ optical emission measurements beyond Mach 15. This groundbreaking experiment will provide critical insights into the aerothermal conditions of reentry, with OSPREE being the first Department of Defense (DoD) payload to utilize Varda's hypersonic testbed. The system's capabilities extend to capturing reentry conditions surpassing Mach 25, offering unparalleled data for material and sensor testing.

High-hypersonic flow conditions cannot be replicated in terrestrial laboratories, making flight tests essential for advancing knowledge of the extreme thermal and chemical interactions spacecraft endure during reentry. Unlike traditional test vehicles that are often unrecoverable and limited to lower hypersonic conditions, Varda's reusable testbed provides a more comprehensive dataset under realistic conditions.

The Prometheus program, a joint initiative between AFRL and Varda, addresses the need for advanced reentry system testing. The program aims to accelerate innovation in hypersonic technologies through a cost-efficient and frequent flight test platform. AFRL has awarded Varda a flight services Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to support such efforts through 2028.

"By partnering with the commercial space industry, AFRL can provide the Government S and T community with a novel, low-cost approach to iterative development. Prometheus fills a longstanding experimentation gap for the maturation of future reentry system technologies," explained Dr. Erin Vaughan, AFRL Prometheus Lead.

Bruey emphasized the importance of collaboration, saying, "Deepening our understanding of the reentry environment accelerates defense capabilities while also advancing commercial space. As we grow the orbital economy, reentry will become as common as launch. Varda's hypersonic testbed mission, supported by our key partnership with AFRL, is a step toward that future."

The W-2 capsule will operate in orbit aboard a Rocket Lab Pioneer satellite bus before reentering at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. This range is managed by Southern Launch, ensuring precision and safety during the capsule's return to Earth.