Orbital reentry from 17000mph looks like dropping out of hyperspace

Varda Space Industries’ spacecraft, W-1, successfully landed at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, 2024. This marks the first time a commercial company has landed a spacecraft on United States soil.

A camera installed inside W-1 captured the entire reentry in this first-of-its-kind video.

You’ll witness W-1 orbiting Earth in LEO, smooth separation from Rocket Lab’s satellite bus, and its trajectory as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere at speeds over Mach 25 before safely deploying its parachute and landing.

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