The Exploration Company (TEC) lost a space capsule during re-entry that was carrying ashes of 166 people, along with plant material for a science project, after successfully orbiting Earth twice. Despite re-establishing communication during reentry, the capsule was lost just before parachute deployment, prompting an investigation. TEC expressed regret and hopes families find peace, noting the ashes are now in the Pacific, and this was a historic first reentry attempt.
A German startup's space capsule carrying the remains of 166 people and cannabis plants crashed into the Pacific Ocean after a failed reentry, with the company investigating the cause and preparing for future missions.
Varda Space Industries releases stunning footage of its W-1 capsule hurtling toward Earth at speeds of greater than Mach 25, showcasing the forces of Earth’s atmosphere and the spacecraft's special heat shield. The uncrewed capsule, which landed at the Utah Test and Training Range, carried crystals of an antiviral drug cultivated in space as part of Varda's efforts to become a leader in off-Earth manufacturing. The company highlights the unique benefits of processing materials in microgravity. NASA also successfully brought back a capsule containing samples gathered from an asteroid, marking a first for the space agency.
Varda Space Industries released incredible first-person footage of its W-1 space capsule's return trip to Earth, from separation in orbit to fiery reentry and landing at the Utah Test and Training Range. The capsule, which spent eight months in low Earth orbit, is part of Varda's efforts to develop mini-labs for pharmaceutical production in space, specifically for the HIV drug ritonavir. The capsule was attached to Rocket Lab's Photon satellite "bus," which provided power, communications, and altitude control before burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The ritonavir crystals grown in orbit will now be analyzed by Improved Pharma.
Varda Space Industries shares stunning footage of its space capsule reentering Earth's atmosphere at 25 times the speed of sound after an eight-month-long mission to grow crystals of an antiviral drug in microgravity, overcoming regulatory hurdles for its return. The video showcases the capsule peacefully floating in space, heating up with magenta hues giving way to orange and red, and finally dipping into lush cloud cover, resembling a scene from a sci-fi film.
Varda Space Industries' W-1 spacecraft successfully landed at the Utah Test and Training Range, capturing stunning reentry footage from separation in low Earth orbit to parachute deploy. The capsule, part of a Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft, was used to test in-space manufacturing technologies, producing ritonavir, an antiviral drug, in microgravity. Varda aims to make LEO more accessible to commercial industries and plans to share reentry data with NASA and the Air Force.
A roadside attraction in rural Coble, Tennessee, resembling a space capsule with a NASA logo, has a backstory of family bonds and community. The Howard family created the capsule from a tipped cement truck that fell into marshy land. They printed American flag and markings for a nonexistent Apollo 17 mission, which rain and elements stripped off. The family has made it a part of their shenanigans, including parody street signs, to build neighborly bonds in the rural area. The capsule has fooled some people into believing it's a real spacecraft, and the family takes pride in being the author of an oddity that people can drive to and see in Hickman County.
