Platform

Built for orbital material production, and reentry

Varda is designing and building the infrastructure needed to make low Earth orbit accessible to industry. From in orbit production equipment to reliable, and economical reentry capsules. Low Earth Orbit is now open for business.

In short

Frequent, reliable and economical reentry and orbital production

Reusable rockets have decreased the cost to get to orbit by orders of magnitude. This access offers the ability to expand on, and bring to market, decades of materials research conducted on the likes of the International Space Station and other space habitats. To complete the logistics chain, Varda’s system offers a reentry system tailor made for materials born in space. Shipping to space, and back, is just shipping.

Why Microgravity?

A gravity-off switch for material processing

Processing materials in microgravity, or the near-weightless conditions found in space, offers a unique environment not available through terrestrial processing. These benefits primarily stem from the lack of convection and sedimentation forces, as well as the ability to form more perfect structures due to the absence of gravitational stresses.

These effects are “locked” into the material, typically through material crystallization, before being brought back to Earth.

Flame in 1g environment and in µg environment (on the International Space Station)

What Varda Offers

Varda’s W-Series stands alone as the only all in one commercial satellite and reentry vehicle built specifically for the return of materials from orbit. Other operational reentry vehicles are built with humans in mind, meaning significant costs are added through the need for life support systems, and other amenities needed to sustain astronauts.

Months of microgravity conditions

Processing in microgravity typically requires days or weeks of time for near all materials. Though parabolic flights and drop towers can briefly, on the order of seconds, achieve some degree of microgravity, being in orbit is the only path to achieve usable timescales for production.

In-house built processing equipment

Given the unique constraints of operating in both the vacuum and microgravity of space, it is not possible to simply purchase material processing equipment off the shelf for use in these environments. Varda builds best in class processing equipment that is built to achieve the results our customers expect through the harshest environments.

Post processing

Getting to space is getting cheaper, but for the foreseeable future it will still only make sense to perform single unit operations in orbit where the effects of microgravity are most valuable. Once materials return to Earth they are analyzed and processed through a combination of Varda’s in-house labs, partners, and customers.

Reentry

Varda’s capsule is ready built to reenter processed materials.
W-Series

Free flying orbital production satellites with reentry

Once materials are processed in orbit, they’re only useful if they can be returned for use on Earth. Varda’s W-Series spacecraft is a free flyer, meaning it is self-sustaining, fully independent of other space stations, and contains its own reentry vehicle to bring materials back to Earth post processing.

The reentry capsule is designed from the ground up to complete the logistics chain, allowing orbital materials an inexpensive ride back down to Earth, while operating as reentry research platform itself through its frequent flights.

Facts & Figures

Varda’s W-Series stands alone as the only all in one commercial satellite and reentry vehicle built specifically for the return of materials from orbit. Other operational reentry vehicles are built with humans in mind, meaning significant costs are added through the need for life support systems, and other amenities needed to sustain astronauts.

Free-flying

Varda’s W-Series is a self sustaining space satellite, not relying the likes of the ISS for any operations. This gives our vehicle the complete freedom the operate to the precise needs, and timing of our customers.

Ballistic Reentry

Given the lack of humans on board, Varda is able to passively deorbit its capsule, dramatically lowering costs, while operating in an environment of interest for a wide array of government customers.

Terrestrial landing

The W-Series has been built for terrestrial landing, meaning recovery operations are simpler and cheaper than costly, and timely ocean recoveries.

Rapid Production & Flight

The W-Series has been built for ease of manufacturing, and frequent launches and landing — the first mass produced reentry vehicle, and orbital production facilities in human history.