Southern Launch supports third orbital re-entry in 12 months to Koonibba Test Range

The W-5 capsule safely on the ground at Koonibba Test Range

Southern Launch has successfully supported another orbital re-entry to the Koonibba Test Range with the return of the Varda Space Industries W‑5 capsule. This is the third capsule to land at the Koonibba Test Range in under 12 months and marks another milestone in Southern Launch’s growing role as a global leader in facilitating orbital returns from space.

The W‑5 mission launched into space on November 28, 2025, on the SpaceX Transporter‑15 mission from California and spent 63 days on orbit attached to Varda’s next generation spacecraft. At 12:09am on Friday 30 January 2026 the capsule separated from the spacecraft over Antarctica and re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere at 30,000km per hour before landing gently under parachute at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.

The W‑5 re‑entry was a breathtaking visual spectacle captured not only by world‑renowned South Australian astrophotographer Will Godward, but also by members of the Koonibba and Ceduna communities who turned their cameras skyward. Together, they recorded the capsule as it carved a brilliant arc across the night sky. The images showcase the sheer beauty of an orbital re‑entry and the extraordinary technical precision required to guide a spacecraft safely back to Earth.

The W‑5 mission further validates the cadence and reliability of Varda Space Industries W‑Series capsules, which help us on Earth by returning cutting‑edge research and in‑orbit‑manufactured materials that enable new medical, scientific, and technological breakthroughs not possible under Earth’s gravity. The mission demonstrates the power of international partnerships in advancing the commercial space economy with Varda and Southern Launch collaborating closely throughout the mission.

For the W-5 mission Southern Launch was once again responsible for end‑to‑end re‑entry operations, including regulatory approvals, range safety, airspace management, tracking, and recovery of the capsule from the Koonibba Test Range.

The Koonibba Test Range in South Australia is the most ideal place globally to accept the return of space technology back to Earth thanks to low air and maritime traffic, and more than 41,000 square kilometres to land in.

Southern Launch operates the Koonibba Test Range in partnership with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation. Cultural monitors were appointed by the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation and Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation to oversee all aspects of the mission including recovery.

W-5 Returns to the Koonibba Test Range. Photo by William Godward