Rocket Lab returns Varda Space Industries' spacecraft capsule with space-grown pharmaceutical crystals to Earth, marking the first commercial US spacecraft landing.
Rocket Lab has successfully returned Varda Space Industries' spacecraft capsule to Earth, marking the first-ever commercial spacecraft landing in the U.S., and bringing back pharmaceutical crystals grown in space. The capsule, containing crystals of the drug ritonavir for HIV/AIDS treatment, landed in Utah, and the data collected will be shared with Air Force and NASA. Varda Space Industries plans to be a major player in off-Earth manufacturing, utilizing microgravity conditions to offer unique processing benefits.
February 21, 2024
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