W-Series Spacecraft

Nine W-series vehicles have launched since 2023, including W-7 on Oct. 20, 2026. SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 timeline lists W-Series 7 deploying at T+01:05:58 after a 7:04 a.m. ET liftoff, and Varda's release says W-7 launched into orbit with a PROTAC solubility experiment. The W-7 page lists launch date Oct. 20, 2026 and does not give a recovery date. W-8 and W-9 flew together on Transporter-18 on Oct. 1, 2026, and that launch release does not say they have returned. Five capsules have been recovered. The W-4 mission page labels May 10, 2026 as the reentry date for a disposal deorbit, not a recovery. Company releases on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 count six successful reentries, matching five recoveries plus that labeled W-4 deorbit.

Missions Flown

9 launched

(W-1 through W-9, with W-7 on Oct. 20, 2026); 5 capsules recovered; W-4 page labels reentry date May 10, 2026 for a disposal deorbit; W-7, W-8 and W-9 not yet described as returned as of Oct. 28, 2026

Read more

Reentry Speed

Over 18,000 mph, more than Mach 25

Recovery

Parachute landing at Koonibba Test Range, South Australia

Manufacturing

Full spacecraft built in-house in El Segundo since W-4

• 

  Active

  Reentry & Hypersonic Testbed

  The W-Series capsule sold as a flight environment rather than a factory: a repeatable, low-cost way for defense and civil customers to test thermal protection materials, sensors, and guidance systems in real hypersonic reentry conditions.

  Testbed Flights in 2026

  2

• 

  Active

  Falcon 9

  SpaceX

  Partially reusable two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle. The world's most frequently launched orbital rocket.

  Payload to LEO

  22,800 kg (expendable)

  Payload to GTO

  8,300 kg (expendable)

• 

  Active

  Falcon Heavy

  SpaceX

  Heavy-lift launch vehicle consisting of a strengthened Falcon 9 core with two additional boosters.

  Payload to LEO

  63,800 kg

  Payload to GTO

  26,700 kg

• 

  Active

  Dragon

  SpaceX

  Reusable spacecraft for cargo and crew transport to the International Space Station.

  Crew Capacity

  Up to 7

  Cargo Capacity (pressurized)

  6,000 kg

• 

  In Development

  Starship

  SpaceX

  Fully reusable super-heavy-lift launch system designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. V3 (Block 3) variant with Raptor 3 engines is the production version.

  Payload to LEO

  100–150 t

  Height

  121 m (397 ft)