All Articles
Space

Rocket Lab Is Readying Up To Test Drugs In Space

September 29, 2024
x min read
Rocket Lab Is Readying Up To Test Drugs In Space

Is the future of biotechnology going to be built in orbit? Rocket Lab and Varda Space have an ambitious plan to prove that it is.

What’s happening:

  • Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) has successfully completed testing and integration of its Pioneer spacecraft to be used by in-space pharmaceutical processing company Varda Space on their second ever mission

Why it matters:

  • Rocket Lab previously provided Varda Space with a Pioneer spacecraft which was used by Varda Space to successfully crystallize the HIV drug Ritonavir while in orbit
  • Processing materials in microgravity has the potential to unlock entirely new breakthroughs in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, which is made possible due to the lack of convection and sedimentation that exists in microgravity

Going deeper:

The intrigue:

  • Varda Space recently secured an approval from the United States Federal Aviation Admission for reentry back to Earth from orbit, making them the only company to ever receive two approvals for reentry ever

Discover the world's most disruptive early stage companies with 35,000+ investors.

The markets and trends that matter, made simple.

Join top talent at the world's most respected institutions, companies, and venture capital funds.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.