Varda Space Industries had a problem. The Californian start-up wanted to manufacture drugs in space – there was money to be made from pharmaceutical firms that wanted to process medication in microgravity.
It had a partner to get it up there – Elon Musk’s SpaceX – but it was not easy finding a place for its capsules to land. Utah had been the plan, but after eight months, permission to drop into the desert was not forthcoming.
Tess BennettTechnology reporterTess Bennett is a technology reporter with The Australian Financial Review, based in the Brisbane newsroom. She was previously the work & careers reporter. Connect with Tess on Twitter. Email Tess at tess.bennett@afr.com
