W-4

W-4 launched on June 23, 2025. The W-4 mission is the maiden flight for Varda’s new satellite bus, designed and built in Varda’s El Segundo headquarters and manufacturing facility, and marks several other firsts for the company and the ever-expanding orbital economy.  

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This mission will be the first that utilizes a Varda-made satellite bus. While the mission profile will be the same as previous missions, the entirety of this mission, with the exception of launch, is built and fully operated by Varda.  

While in orbit, the satellite bus will provide the capsule with power, communications, attitude control, and propulsion. Once the orbital manufacturing portion of the mission is complete, the W-4 capsule will separate from the satellite bus and reenter the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25 and ultimately land safely at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch.  

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The W-4 mission also heralds several other firsts for the company, including:

• a heatshield produced entirely in Varda’s factory,  
• a new approach to processing pharmaceuticals, and  
• permission from FAA to reenter capsules through 2029 via a vehicle operator license under FAA Part 450; the first of its kind.  

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