“EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- #Varda Space Industries, the leader in orbital #pharmaceutical processing and hypersonic reentry, announced the successful reentry of its W-6 capsule. The capsule landed safely within the designated recovery zone at the #Koonibba #TestRange in #SouthAustralia, operated by #SouthernLaunch, marking the company's second reentry of 2026.

Similar to Varda's previous missions with Department of War payloads, the #W6 mission was funded through the #Prometheus program, a partnership between the Air Force Research Laboratory #AFRL and commercial space entities, which is addressing a national security need to accelerate novel #science and #technology experiments in the extreme #HypersonicReentry environment through a low-cost, high-cadence flight testbed.”

#Straya / #Woomera <https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/varda-space-industries-successfully-reenters-w-6-validating-autonomous-navigation-and-advanced-thermal-protection-systems-302775804.html> / #AngryAstronaut <https://youtube.com/watch?v=JEyCttVeqys>

Varda’s W-5 mission lands in Australia

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://spacenews.com/vardas-w-5-mission-lands-in-australia/

Varda Space and Southern Launch agree to more capsule landings in Australia

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://spacenews.com/varda-space-and-southern-launch-agree-to-more-capsule-landings-in-australia/

🇩🇪 #HyImpulse ships its #SR75 rocket 🚀 to the #SouthernLaunch #Koonibba 🇦🇺 Test Range * https://europeanspaceflight.com/hyimpulse-are-all-packed-and-heading-down-under/

* 🗺️ https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=Koonibba+Test+Range&layer=Esri+Satellite

I've just contacted the CEO of #SouthernLaunch to encourage a rethink of their proposal for #WhalersWay on the #EyrePeninsula.

Three headline species are threatened by the proposal: the Southern Emu-wren, the Mallee Whipbird and in the nearby marine sanctuary, the Australian Sea Lion.

I said yes to rockets and launch capacity for #SouthAustralia but not at the cost of our remaining habitat for unique and endangered species.

I concluded by saying that "I appreciate that our fledgeling rocket and renewables industries are being held to higher account than mines have historically. But two wrongs don’t make a right."

That's the truth of it though. Mining has had pretty much a free 'slash, burn and dig' ride historically and new industries can't be offered the same free pass.

#ACF #Birdlife #HabitatDestruction

https://www.acf.org.au/whalers-way

#SouthernLaunch / ECO TEST - #VS03 / CUSTOMER: AT SPACE / SITE: WHALERS WAY ORBITAL LAUNCH COMPLEX

"Unfortunately today's launch has been scrubbed at T-15 minutes. Thanks to everyone that joined us on the live stream, we really appreciate the support!"

via birdsite

www: https://www.southernlaunch.space/upcoming-missions

#Raumfahrt #Rakete