Varda Space Industries raises $251M to scale orbital pharmaceutical manufacturing

Varda Space Industries has secured $251 million in Series D funding to expand its orbital pharmaceutical manufacturing and space-to-Earth reentry infrastructure. Led by Lux Capital and Natural Capital, the investment brings the company’s total capital raised to nearly $600 million. The funding aims to increase mission cadence and advance the production of medicines manufactured in microgravity.

Microgravity allows active pharmaceutical ingredients to crystallize in unique ways that are difficult to replicate on Earth, potentially leading to more effective drug formulations. Beyond pharmaceuticals, Varda’s technology serves semiconductor manufacturers and national security customers interested in testing hardware during hypersonic re-entry.

Since 2023, the company has completed six reentry missions. Varda plans more than a dozen additional missions through 2028. Upcoming launches include the W-8 and W-9 missions aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18, which will carry sensors and Department of Defense payloads to study thermal protection and navigation during hypersonic flight.