Session
Session VIII: Next on the Pad 2
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
In 2021, Varda Space Industries contracted Rocket Lab USA to design, build, and operate four spacecraft to support an in-space manufacturing payloads inside of a commercial capsule and provide the capsule with a safe return to Earth. This mission was to be the first fully commercial controlled Earth re-entry and recovery of a space-based capsule. Four spacecraft, Winnebago-1 through -4, are to be built and launched on SpaceX Falcon-9 Transporter rideshare launches into sun-synchronous low Earth orbit. Each of these satellites feature Varda’s re-entry payload capsule which will demonstrate varied types of in-space capability from pharmaceutical crystal growth to use as a hypersonic test bed, across the separate missions. Once the on-orbit mission is complete, the Rocket Lab platform places the Varda re-entry capsule into an Earth return trajectory, allowing the capsule to touch down at various global landing sites such as the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR).
The Pioneer spacecraft for the Winnebago missions is 300kg (wet mass) and 1.2m x 1.2m x 1.8m (arrays stowed, launch configuration), based off the Rocket Lab Pioneer-class spacecraft bus architecture that features a full suite of Rocket Lab produced satellite components. Rocket Lab’s strategy of maximizing vertical integration and ownership of supply chain of mission and program-critical vehicle components (including reaction wheels, star trackers, power and compute systems, radios, propulsion systems, separation systems and software) enables entirely new in-space application business models, which depend on the aggressive schedule, low cost, and high reliability Rocket Lab can offer.
Winnebago-1, launched in June 2023 on Transporter-8, manufactured a sample of the pharmaceutical crystal ritonavir, an HIV retroviral active pharmaceutical ingredient, inside the Varda re-entry capsule. This experiment hypothesized the discovery of a new form of ritonavir in microgravity that could minimize ingredient-induced side effects due to improved crystal structure. De-orbit operations were successful for Winnebago-1 in February 2024, landing the Winnebago-1 capsule in the UTTR for recovery by the Varda team. Post-landing study of the sample found the preferred structure of ritonavir was synthesized, paving the way for additional experimentation on the sample. The following three spacecraft under contract will launch on subsequent Transporter launches, each demonstrating a unique in-space capability.
The Rocket Lab Winnebago propulsion system is chemical bipropellant-driven and rideshare launch-compatible, unlike most chemical propulsion systems. The Curie Mk 3 thruster with significant flight heritage on Electron kick stage, coupled with a custom fluidics design, and extensive expertise in flight dynamics and trajectory design, enabled execution of multiple complex orbital maneuvers to deliver the capsule to a land touchdown within an approximately 60km x 30km landing zone within the UTTR. The Winnebago mission archetype will transform commercial in-space manufacturing, enable return-to Earth, and re-invent rideshare platform design.
Manufacturing in Microgravity and Sample Re-Entry Using a Commercial Rideshare Spacecraft Platform
Utah State University, Logan, UT
In 2021, Varda Space Industries contracted Rocket Lab USA to design, build, and operate four spacecraft to support an in-space manufacturing payloads inside of a commercial capsule and provide the capsule with a safe return to Earth. This mission was to be the first fully commercial controlled Earth re-entry and recovery of a space-based capsule. Four spacecraft, Winnebago-1 through -4, are to be built and launched on SpaceX Falcon-9 Transporter rideshare launches into sun-synchronous low Earth orbit. Each of these satellites feature Varda’s re-entry payload capsule which will demonstrate varied types of in-space capability from pharmaceutical crystal growth to use as a hypersonic test bed, across the separate missions. Once the on-orbit mission is complete, the Rocket Lab platform places the Varda re-entry capsule into an Earth return trajectory, allowing the capsule to touch down at various global landing sites such as the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR).
The Pioneer spacecraft for the Winnebago missions is 300kg (wet mass) and 1.2m x 1.2m x 1.8m (arrays stowed, launch configuration), based off the Rocket Lab Pioneer-class spacecraft bus architecture that features a full suite of Rocket Lab produced satellite components. Rocket Lab’s strategy of maximizing vertical integration and ownership of supply chain of mission and program-critical vehicle components (including reaction wheels, star trackers, power and compute systems, radios, propulsion systems, separation systems and software) enables entirely new in-space application business models, which depend on the aggressive schedule, low cost, and high reliability Rocket Lab can offer.
Winnebago-1, launched in June 2023 on Transporter-8, manufactured a sample of the pharmaceutical crystal ritonavir, an HIV retroviral active pharmaceutical ingredient, inside the Varda re-entry capsule. This experiment hypothesized the discovery of a new form of ritonavir in microgravity that could minimize ingredient-induced side effects due to improved crystal structure. De-orbit operations were successful for Winnebago-1 in February 2024, landing the Winnebago-1 capsule in the UTTR for recovery by the Varda team. Post-landing study of the sample found the preferred structure of ritonavir was synthesized, paving the way for additional experimentation on the sample. The following three spacecraft under contract will launch on subsequent Transporter launches, each demonstrating a unique in-space capability.
The Rocket Lab Winnebago propulsion system is chemical bipropellant-driven and rideshare launch-compatible, unlike most chemical propulsion systems. The Curie Mk 3 thruster with significant flight heritage on Electron kick stage, coupled with a custom fluidics design, and extensive expertise in flight dynamics and trajectory design, enabled execution of multiple complex orbital maneuvers to deliver the capsule to a land touchdown within an approximately 60km x 30km landing zone within the UTTR. The Winnebago mission archetype will transform commercial in-space manufacturing, enable return-to Earth, and re-invent rideshare platform design.
