Australian space history got a new page this spring when the Winnebago-2 (W-2) capsule from U.S. company Varda Space Industries landed at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. This is the first time in the world that a commercial spacecraft has returned to a commercial spaceport, setting a world record. The event not only highlighted the potential of private space missions, but also paved the way for Australia to participate in the global space industry.
W-2 was launched from Earth on January 14 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-12 mission, which delivers satellites from various companies into orbit. The 120 kg capsule performed missions for the U.S. Air Force and NASA for 45 days before successfully returning through the atmosphere at over Mach 25 (31,000 km/h). Its heat shield was developed in conjunction with NASA and withstood the extreme conditions, and the OSPREE spectrometer captured plasma data during the descent.
The characteristic feature of Winnebago-2 is that it looks like a flying saucer.
Medicines from space and the secrets of the atmosphere
Aboard the W-2 was a pharmaceutical unit for experiments to produce drugs in microgravity. This technology could revolutionize medicine because the conditions of space accelerate the crystallization of substances. In addition, the U.S. Air Force’s OSPREE spectrometer investigated the capsule’s interaction with the atmosphere, which would help improve the design of future vehicles.
The mission was a collaboration between Varda, Australia’s Southern Launch and NASA.
“This is just the beginning. We are planning dozens of missions from Koonibba. Our success is a step toward economic development of low Earth orbit,” Southern Launch said.
A perfect spaceport on Earth
Australia, with its large uninhabited areas, is ideal for space launches and landings. The success of W-2 makes it a key player in commercial space, inviting investment and innovation. The next missions plan to use Koonibba to deliver cargo from orbit, particularly for biotechnology and materials science.
The landing of the W-2 is not just a technical triumph. It is a symbol of the growth of the private sector in space and new opportunities for countries not previously associated with the space race. And who knows – perhaps it will be the Australian deserts that will be the gateway for future interplanetary expeditions.
Earlier we reported on how a huge piece of space debris on the beach discouraged Australia.
According to livescience.com
