A small space capsule made history recently when it became the first commercial spacecraft to land in Australia. According to the Australian Space Agency, the capsule Winnebago-2 (W-2) reentered Earth’s atmosphere and touched down at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia on Feb. 28.
The spacecraft, built by California-based startup Varda Space Industries, first launched from Earth aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 14 as part of the Transporter-12 mission. The mission, designed to carry satellites and payloads from various customers, sent W-2 into orbit, spending 45 days conducting research.
The landing of W-2 was a landmark moment for Australia’s growing space industry, being the first time a commercial spacecraft returned under Australian space law. Officials say this event could pave the way for more space missions to be conducted and recovered in the country.
Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, said, “This historic return highlights the opportunity for Australia to become a responsible launch and return hub for the global space community – capitalising off the geographic advantages of our expansive continent.’
Southern Launch, the company operating the Koonibba Test Range, led recovery efforts following the landing. The operation included members of the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation, the traditional owners of the land where the capsule landed. Southern Launch officials emphasized that this is the first of many missions expected to return to the site.
W-2 carried experimental payloads from the U.S. Air Force and NASA while in orbit. The capsule was designed to test technologies that could advance space research and commercial activities beyond Earth.
One of its key components is a specialized reactor developed by Varda to manufacture pharmaceuticals in space, a process that could improve drug production by taking advantage of microgravity conditions.
Additionally, the capsule was equipped with a heat shield developed in collaboration with NASA and a high-tech spectrometer from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
The spectrometer, Optical Sensing of Plasmas in the Reentry Environment (OSPREE), collected data on the extreme conditions experienced during reentry. As W-2 returned to Earth, it traveled at speeds exceeding Mach 25—approximately 19,000 miles per hour (31,000 kilometers per hour).
The successful re-entry and recovery of W-2 highlight Australia’s growing role in the global space sector. As more private companies seek reliable locations for spacecraft returns, industry leaders say Australia’s vast, open landscape offers unique advantages.
Varda CEO Will Bruey said the mission represents a major step in commercial space operations.
“We are ecstatic to have W-2 back on our home planet safely and are proud to support significant reentry research for our government partners as we continue building a thriving foundation for economic expansion to low Earth orbit,” Bruey said.
Officials at Southern Launch confirmed that more spacecraft are already scheduled to return to the Koonibba Test Range, further strengthening Australia’s position in space exploration and technology development.
