The W-3 Capsule at the Koonibba Test Range. Photo courtesy of Southern Launch.

Southern Launch and Varda Space Industries have signed a landmark agreement to facilitate 20 additional spacecraft returns at the Koonibba Test Range through to 2028, cementing South Australia’s position as a global hub for orbital re-entry operations.

The new contract builds on the success of the W-Series missions, including the historic W-2 mission, which marked the world’s first commercial spacecraft landing to a commercial spaceport in February 2025. The W-3 mission landing at the Koonibba Test Range just 10 weeks later demonstrates Southern Launch’s capacity to support high-cadence orbital returns.

Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said the agreement reflects the growing demand for reliable re-entry infrastructure as the global in-space manufacturing economy becomes standard practice and grows.

“This contract is a vote of confidence in our team and our facilities. With each successful mission, we’re proving that the Koonibba Test Range is the best place on Earth to bring space technology home,” Lloyd Damp said. “Routine re-entries are no longer a dream; they are happening now, and we are proud to lead the way alongside Varda.”

The 20 new missions will see Varda’s in-space manufacturing capsules return to Earth with payloads that have made novel pharmaceuticals in orbit or conducted experiments in microgravity. The capsules re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere at Mach 25 and land under parachute in the Koonibba Test Range, which Southern Launch operates in partnership with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation.

Varda Chief Revenue Officer Eric Lasker welcomed the agreement, saying:

“Products improved through production off Earth are within reach. Our partnership with Southern Launch is the lynchpin to realizing this new economy, and Varda’s increasing cadence is only possible due to the exceptional quality of work consistently delivered by the Southern Launch team. With this new contract we are thrilled to take another step towards the future.”

Premier and Minister for Defence and Space Industries Peter Malinauskas said the announcement represented a huge step forward for the state’s space ecosystem.

“To establish South Australia as the first commercial spaceport to accept commercial returns speaks volumes to our reputation as a global leader in this field. Southern Launch securing these additional missions with Varda to enable their commercial space return operations reinforces our state’s position as a trusted, strategic location for this capability.”

Varda and Southern Launch are the two key commercial entities leading the global emerging orbital economy. Together, the two companies have formed a valuable partnership that serves as a shining example of new space companies collaborating to bring home products made in space, benefiting people on Earth.

This new agreement between the companies will cement Australia’s role as the leader in commercial space launch and returns, and secure landing space for Varda’s future missions, which are planned to increase to a near-monthly cadence by the end of 2028.

Southern Launch and Varda will continue to collaborate on the W-Series missions, with the W-4 and W-5 missions scheduled to re-enter at the Koonibba Test Range by the end of this year.

ABOUT SOUTHERN LAUNCH

Southern Launch provides bespoke mission services for orbital launch, sub-orbital missions including hypersonic flight, orbital re-entries and range services for the global space industry.

Southern Launch provides an end-to-end service for missions including sourcing regulatory approval, managing logistics, coordinating range management and leading recovery operations. The company is headquartered in Adelaide and operates two world-class spaceports the Koonibba Test Range and Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex.

Media contact: Amy Featherston, Media and Communications Manager, Southern Launch, 0400 456 016 [email protected]

For investor enquires: [email protected]

ABOUT VARDA SPACE INDUSTRIES

Varda Space Industries is expanding the economic bounds of humankind by designing and building the infrastructure needed to make low Earth orbit accessible to industry, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The company operates out of El Segundo, California with office and industrial production space. Follow Varda on X (@vardaspace), Instagram (@vardaspaceindustries), and LinkedIn.

For Investor Inquires: [email protected]

For Media Inquiries: [email protected]