Rocket Lab’s 2nd Re-entry Class Spacecraft For Varda Operating On Orbit Supporting Payloads For AF Research Lab & NASA

Long Beach, California, 15 January 2025

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced its second Pioneer spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Inc. (“Varda”) is successfully operating on orbit. The mission launched January 14, from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11:09 PDT (19:09 UTC).

Varda’s W-2 mission includes a Rocket Lab Pioneer spacecraft and a Varda a re-entry capsule carrying a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The capsule employs a heatshield with a Thermal Protection System (TPS) developed in collaboration with NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. These payloads are in addition to Varda’s expanded pharmaceutical reactor which will expand capability and capacity for pharmaceutical processing. The W-2 mission follows on from Rocket Lab’s first mission for Varda, which operated in orbit for eight months before returning to Earth in early 2024 in a successful demonstration of the world’s first orbital manufacturing mission conducted outside of the International Space Station.

Like the first Pioneer spacecraft for Varda, the W-2 Pioneer is delivering critical mission functions for Varda’s 120kg capsule including power, communications, propulsion, and attitude control. Following the payload processing phase in orbit, Rocket Lab’s spacecraft will guide and position Varda’s capsule for deorbit, enabling a hypersonic re-entry and recovery at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch.

The Pioneer spacecraft was designed, built, and tested at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Complex and headquarters in Long Beach, California. It integrates Rocket Lab’s vertically developed components and systems, including star trackers, propulsion systems, reaction wheels, solar panels, flight software, radios, composite structures, tanks, separation systems, and more.

“Another Rocket Lab spacecraft is in orbit, performing well, and supporting innovative new space capabilities for our mission partners Varda Space Industries,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck. “We’ve built a deep expertise in guidance, navigation, and control, allowing us to precisely manage spacecraft operations in some of the most demanding environments, ensuring that our customers, like Varda, can rely on us to safely and accurately deliver their mission goals, from on orbit operations to capsule re-entry.”

"Varda and its partners are building a foundation layer for the orbital economy. The W-2 mission is in service of this goal," said Varda CEO and co-founder Will Bruey. "We are looking forward to many more successful missions, and a world where products made in orbit are seen as common place.

The W-2 mission is the second of four spacecraft ordered by Varda to support orbital processing, with the third spacecraft complete and awaiting shipment for launch.

Learn more about Rocket Lab’s spacecraft for Varda: Varda Space Industries | Rocket Lab (rocketlabusa.com)

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of spacecraft platforms, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered over 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft platforms have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

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