# W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle

> reentry vehicle for Varda Space Industries' W-Series 1 spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q124612298](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124612298)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/w-series-1-reentry-vehicle

## Summary
The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle is the reentry capsule for Varda Space Industries' W-Series 1 spacecraft. This experimental vehicle was launched in 2023 and successfully landed in 2024 after testing in-space manufacturing capabilities during atmospheric reentry.

## Key Facts
- The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle has a mass of less than 90 kilograms and was launched on June 12, 2023.
- It has a height of 73.9 centimeters and a diameter of 89.9 centimeters.
- This reentry vehicle is part of the W-Series 1 spacecraft and is classified as a reentry capsule.
- It was launched using a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket (Booster B1071.9) from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East.
- The vehicle landed on February 21, 2024, at the Utah Test and Training Range, with atmospheric entry occurring at 21:40.
- W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle is powered by a lithium-ion battery and is operated/owned by Varda Space Industries, who also manufactured it.
- The reentry mission lasted approximately 365,765 minutes (about 254 days).
- It is of United States origin and is also known as W-Series 1 RV, W-1 Reentry Vehicle, and W-1 RV.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of the W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle?
A: The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle serves as the reentry capsule for Varda Space Industries' W-Series 1 experimental manufacturing satellite. It was designed to test in-space manufacturing capabilities during atmospheric reentry, allowing the company to study how materials behave when reentering Earth's atmosphere after being produced in space.

### Q: How big is the W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle?
A: The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle has a height of 73.9 centimeters and a diameter of 89.9 centimeters, with a mass of less than 90 kilograms. Its compact size was designed to facilitate the spacecraft's mission of testing in-space manufacturing capabilities.

### Q: When and where did the W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle launch and land?
A: The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle launched on June 12, 2023, at 21:35:00 from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East using a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket. It successfully landed on February 21, 2024, at 21:40 at the Utah Test and Training Range after approximately 254 days in space.

## Why It Matters
The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle represents a significant advancement in the convergence of in-space manufacturing and atmospheric reentry technologies. By demonstrating the ability to produce materials in space and then successfully return them through Earth's atmosphere, this mission opens new possibilities for manufacturing processes that can benefit from microgravity environments. This could lead to the production of materials with unique properties that are impossible to create under Earth's gravity, potentially revolutionizing industries from pharmaceuticals to materials science. The successful reentry and landing also validate the spacecraft's thermal protection systems and reentry trajectory calculations, providing valuable data for future missions that plan to return manufactured products from space.

## Notable For
- Being the reentry vehicle for the first experimental spacecraft (W-Series 1) to test in-space manufacturing capabilities during atmospheric reentry.
- Successfully completing a mission lasting approximately 254 days (365,765 minutes) in space before reentering Earth's atmosphere.
- Demonstrating the ability to maintain a functional reentry capsule with lithium-ion battery power throughout an extended mission in space.
- Landing precisely at the Utah Test and Training Range after atmospheric entry, showcasing accurate reentry trajectory control.

## Body
### Overview
The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle is a specialized spacecraft module designed to reenter Earth's atmosphere intact, serving as the critical component of Varda Space Industries' W-Series 1 experimental manufacturing satellite. This reentry capsule is classified within the broader category of reentry vehicles and is specifically engineered to facilitate in-space manufacturing experiments during atmospheric reentry.

### Technical Specifications
- **Mass**: Less than 90 kilograms
- **Height**: 73.9 centimeters
- **Diameter**: 89.9 centimeters
- **Power Source**: Lithium-ion battery (92 unit)
- **Mission Duration**: Approximately 365,765 minutes (about 254 days)

### Mission Timeline
- **Launch Date**: June 12, 2023, at 21:35:00
- **Launch Location**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East
- **Launch Vehicle**: Falcon 9 Block 5 (Booster B1071.9)
- **Atmospheric Entry**: February 21, 2024, at 21:40
- **Landing Date**: February 21, 2024, at 21:40
- **Landing Location**: Utah Test and Training Range

### Organizational Information
- **Operator**: Varda Space Industries
- **Manufacturer**: Varda Space Industries
- **Country of Origin**: United States
- **Aliases**: W-Series 1 RV, W-1 Reentry Vehicle, W-1 RV
- **Part of**: W-Series 1 spacecraft
- **Class**: Reentry capsule

### Mission Significance
The W-Series 1 Reentry Vehicle mission represents a pioneering effort in combining in-space manufacturing with atmospheric reentry testing. By producing materials in microgravity and then returning them through Earth's atmosphere, Varda Space Industries is gathering critical data on how these materials behave during reentry. This could lead to new manufacturing techniques that leverage the unique conditions of space to create materials with properties impossible to achieve on Earth.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/w-series-1.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. [Source](https://www.faa.gov/media/75521)
4. [Source](https://www.space.com/varda-in-space-manufacturing-capsule-landing-success)
5. [Source](https://twitter.com/VardaSpace/status/1760419976790659327)