Varda Space Industries will conduct mass production of pharmaceuticals and many other materials in Earth orbit through a small capsule with satellites.
start-up business Varda Space Industrys in alifornia announces successful deployment First W-Series 1 satellite in orbit. The company aims to launch the mass production of materials in space. These materials cannot be produced on Earth or grow rapidly with superior quality in microgravity. The solar arrays of the first space power plant in space found the direction of the Sun and began to grow, Varda said after the satellite ascended into orbit on SpaceX’s Cransporter-8 mission on June 13.
Varda drug factory simulation.
Simulate Varda drug factory. (Photo: Varda Space Industries)
The W-Series 1 satellite carries a small 90 kg capsule designed for drug research. According to Varda, this capsule will detach and begin flying through space while remaining attached to the structure that provides the energy, propulsion and communications needed to navigate the vacuum of space. For the first missions, this structure will be provided by the company Rocket Lab. Then the experiment will be performed by the robotic machine in the compartment.
Varda’s operation is based on scientific research that proves that protein crystals in the universe can form a more perfect structure than on Earth, when the formation process is under the influence of gravity. One example comes from research conducted by the pharmaceutical company Merck aboard the International Space Station. This study found that a more stable version of the ingredient pembrolizumab, used in the cancer drug Ketruda, can be produced in microgravity.
Varda’s first mission will focus on developing ritonavir in space. It is a drug commonly used to treat HIV but has recently been applied in the treatment of Covid-19. The company has enough capital to use for at least the first 4 missions.
Once Varda’s experiment is complete, engineers on the ground will assess whether the rover is ready to return to Earth. If approved, the satellite device will push the research capsule back to Earth. It will then launch into the atmosphere and land by parachute, allowing the recovery of pharmaceutical materials.
This task is not easy because Varda will have to prove that his robot can carry out experiments remotely while continuing to operate after being subjected to the strong impact of the rocket launch. The return operation is equally difficult because diving through the atmosphere at a speed of 28,968 km/h will generate enormous heat and accumulate plasma.
Varda was founded by former SpaceX avionics engineers Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov. Their goal is to mass-produce products in space. “From stronger fiber optic cables to life-saving new pharmaceuticals, there is a wide range of products used on Earth today that can only be made in space.”Vɑrda said.
Article source: VnExpress
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Varda Space Industries will conduct mass production of pharmaceuticals and other materials in Earth orbit via a small capsule with satellites.
