Space Drug Factory Denied Reentry Permit, Stuck in Orbit
The first in-space drug factory, operated by Varda Space Industries, is currently stranded in low Earth orbit after its request for capsule reentry to Earth was denied by both the US Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The US Air Force declined the application to land the reentry capsule at a Utah training facility, while the FAA cited safety concerns as the reason for not approving the start-up's request to reenter Earth's atmosphere.