
NASA Heat Shield Tech Contributes to America’s Space Industry
The Varda Space Industries W-5 capsule returned to Earth in Koonibba in South Australia on Jan. 29, 2026, with the protection of a heat shield made of C-PICA, a cutting-edge material licensed from NASA and manufactured by Varda. The capsule’s successful return marks the first time a capsule protected entirely by Varda-made C-PICA has come back to Earth.
Image Credit: Varda Space Industries/William Godward
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https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/heatshield-w5-2/
TakenJanuary 29, 2026
Image CreditVarda Space Industries/William Godward
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