Latest news with #VardaSpace
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy Rocket Lab While It's Below $27?
Rocket Lab stock sold off after earnings this month, but quickly bounced back. At $26 a share or so, the stock has momentum from press releases -- but costs significantly more than it did before missing earnings. Rocket Lab stock could go on sale soon, if forced to delay its upcoming Neutron rocket launch. 10 stocks we like better than Rocket Lab USA › Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) is on a roll. Recovering quickly from its first-quarter earnings miss earlier this month, shares of the manufacturer of small satellites and the small rockets to launch them zoomed higher after the company issued a series of press releases. Among other things, Rocket Lab has announced: A contract to experiment with point-to-point cargo transportation by rocket for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). A NASA contract to launch the Aspera spacecraft to "study the formation and evolution of galaxies and provide new insights into how the universe works." Another successful synthetic aperture radar (SAR) launch for Japan's Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). And a third launch and recovery of a W-class space capsule for "orbital pharmaceuticals" company Varda Space Industries. At a price just under $26 today, Rocket Lab stock has now bounced back so high that it costs 9% more than it did before the earnings miss on May 8. But the stock's also still 20% below an intraday high set back in January. With momentum seemingly firmly on its side, investors may now be wondering: Should you buy Rocket Lab stock here at $26, before it rockets even higher? And the answer is a definite maybe. (Although I'm leaning toward no.) Don't get me wrong. I happen to think Rocket Lab is a great company, and with great long-term prospects. I just don't think you should overpay to own a piece of those prospects. If you look out five years, analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence anticipate that Rocket Lab will grow into a solidly profitable company, doing $3.5 billion in annual revenue, and translating $1.1 billion of that revenue into real profit according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Viewed from this perspective, Rocket Lab stock that costs $12 billion today (or just under $26 per share) looks pretty attractive, costing just 11 times earnings. The problem is, these are forward earnings. Very forward earnings. And they might not arrive either in the quantity, or according to the time frame, that analysts predict. (Case in point: In 2022, these same analysts were forecasting Rocket Lab would earn its first profit in 2025. But three years later, opinions have changed -- and Rocket Lab is forecast to lose $193 million this year.) Meanwhile, valued on the facts as they stand today, Rocket Lab has a meaningless earnings multiple due to having negative earnings. And it costs more than 27 times trailing-12-month sales (which is about 6 times the average valuation on unprofitable space stocks). This, then, is my first argument for not buying Rocket Lab stock today: It may look cheap based on hopes and dreams for what it might earn five years from now. Based on its performance to date, however, the stock looks expensive. My second reason for saying Rocket Lab stock is not a buy, though, is better news: Rocket Lab stock may cost too much today, but there's plenty of reason to expect it will become cheaper before long. Why is that? Right now, with no earnings to hang a P/E valuation on, Rocket Lab acts a lot like a momentum stock: shooting higher on positive press releases, only to turn around and plunge on negative earnings reports. Simply put, its stock price is driven by headlines, both good and bad. Now, the biggest good headline for Rocket Lab at present is the prospect that its new Neutron reusable rocket will launch later this year, maybe as early as July, but probably not. I believe this good news is priced into the stock already. And if I'm right, this means that the biggest upcoming catalyst will most likely be new news that Neutron will in fact launch on a date later than it's expected to. A launch delay in Neutron, I believe -- even a small one -- might spook momentum investors and lower Rocket Lab's stock price, without at the same time materially changing the company's growth prospects, or making the stock less attractive to long-term investors. Were I in the market to buy some more Rocket Lab shares (in addition to the shares I already own), this is the catalyst I'd be looking for: negative news that scares off momentum investors, without materially damaging the business. I might not buy Rocket Lab stock at $26. But if such a catalyst drives the stock down into the teens or lower, then I probably would buy more Rocket Lab stock. Before you buy stock in Rocket Lab USA, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rocket Lab USA wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $640,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $814,127!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 963% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 168% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Rocket Lab While It's Below $27? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Varda's W-3 capsule lands successfully in South Australia
The company partnered with the US Air Force to test an advanced inertial measurement unit to advance scientific understanding of the high-hypersonic reentry environment. EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Varda Space Industries, which is building infrastructure and enabling fundamental science for a thriving orbital economy, has successfully reentered the W-3 capsule, which landed at the Koonibba Test Range, operated by Southern Launch, at 19:07 Pacific Daylight Time. W-3 is Varda's third successful mission and comes just 11 weeks after the previous successful mission. W-3 carried an advanced inertial measurement unit developed in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force and Innovative Scientific Solutions Incorporated (ISSI). The Prometheus program, a partnership between Varda and the U.S. Air Force, addresses a national security need to accelerate the ability to conduct novel science and technology experiments in the extreme reentry environment through a low-cost, high cadence flight testbed. The W-3 capsule, developed by Varda, reentered Earth's atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25. This extreme environment offers researchers valuable data to enhance hypersonic navigation, expand orbital economy applications, and support U.S. national security objectives in low Earth orbit. "Varda's reentry capsule represents a game-changing opportunity for both government and commercial partners to test and validate cutting-edge hypersonic and reentry components and technologies," said Dave McFarland, Varda's Vice President of Hypersonic and Reentry Test. "The W-3 mission will provide unprecedented data to advance next-generation space and defense capabilities and continue to provide hypersonic environments to the reentry test community." Varda is the only company routinely launching and reentering autonomous manufacturing capsules through the high-hypersonic environment. Through regular, reliable launch and return, Varda aims to continue to increase cadence and offer a novel, low-cost approach to iterative hypersonic science and technology experimentation. The W-3 capsule launched March 14 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and is the second capsule to land at the Koonibba Test Range. Varda's first mission, W-1, was the first-ever commercial reentry on US soil when it landed in Utah in 2024. Distribution Unlimited; Approved for Public Release. Public Affairs Release Number AFRL-2025-1794 About Varda Varda Space Industries is making reentry as common as launch. We are building the infrastructure for a thriving orbital economy, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The company operates out of El Segundo, California with office and industrial production space. Follow Varda on X (@vardaspace), Instagram (@vardaspaceindustries), and LinkedIn. For Media Inquiries: media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Varda Space Industries Inc.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Feel the burn with this amazing video of a Varda space capsule's plunge through Earth's atmosphere
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A small space private capsule has captured stunning onboard scenes from its high-velocity atmospheric reentry. Varda Space's W-2 mission came to a successful and spectacular end on Feb. 27 when the capsule reentered the atmosphere and landed at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. The 265-pound (120 kilograms) capsule spent six weeks in space after launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter 12 mission. The company has now released a video capturing dramatic images from its final moments in orbit above the planet and the final, fiery plunge back into Earth's atmosphere. RELATED STORIES: — Varda space capsule returns to Earth in 1st commercial landing in Australian Outback (photos) — Private Varda Space capsule returns to Earth with space-grown antiviral drug aboard — Watch this private Varda Space capsule's blistering return to Earth in amazing onboard video The final two minutes of the video show things really heating up, as sparks of varying colors and intensities are captured by the camera as the spacecraft interacts with the thick atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25, or 25 times the speed of sound. The conical capsule landed with the assistance of a parachute and was quickly recovered. The spacecraft carried a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and a Varda enhanced pharmaceutical reactor for the company's in-orbit manufacturing plans, and collected critical data for developing hypersonic technologies. Varda aims to become a major player in the nascent in-space manufacturing industry, utilizing the unique environment of microgravity to manufacture products including pharmaceuticals. The W-2 mission landing follows a year after the company's first mission, W-1, which landed in Utah in February 2024. The mission saw W-1 in orbit for eight months before delivering to Earth crystals of an antiviral drug that were grown in orbit.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Varda space capsule returns to Earth in 1st commercial landing in Australian Outback (photos)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Varda Space has successfully landed a reentry capsule in Australia, delivering critical data that could advance in-space manufacturing and hypersonic technologies. California-based startup Varda's Winnebago-2 (W-2) capsule launched along with 130 other payloads on Jan. 14 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, on the Transporter 12 rideshare mission. After six weeks in orbit, the capsule made a fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere, landing Feb. 28 at Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, which is operated by Southern Launch. W-2 contained a spectrometer from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and a Varda enhanced pharmaceutical reactor for the company's in-orbit manufacturing plans. The capsule used a heat shield with a Thermal Protection System (TPS) developed in collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. The spectrometer, the Optical Sensing of Plasmas in the Reentry Environment (OSPREE) sensor, is expected to provide the first-ever in situ optical emission measurements of the reentry environment past Mach 15, according to Varda. The instrument is part of a longer-term partnership between Varda and AFRL for testing hypersonic systems and reentry technologies. Related: Private Varda Space capsule returns to Earth with space-grown antiviral drug aboard "We are ecstatic to have W-2 back on our home planet safely and are proud to support significant reentry research for our government partners as we continue building a thriving foundation for economic expansion to low Earth orbit," Will Bruey, CEO of Varda Space Industries, said in a statement. The 265-pound (120 kilograms) capsule was supported in orbit by a Pioneer satellite bus built by Rocket Lab, which provided power, communications, propulsion and other necessary capabilities. RELATED STORIES: — 'Them space drugs cooked real good:' Varda Space just made an HIV medicine in Earth orbit — See Varda Space's private in-space manufacturing capsule's historic return to Earth in photos — In-space manufacturing could help humanity fight climate change, startup says The successful return to Earth of W-2 also marked a breakthrough for the Australian space sector, according to officials. "This return highlights the opportunity for Australia to become a responsible launch and return hub for the global space community — capitalizing off the geographic advantages of our expansive continent," said Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency, in a statement. The W-2 landing came a year after the company's first mission, W-1, which landed in Utah in February 2024. The mission saw W-1 in orbit for eight months before delivering to Earth crystals of an antiviral drug that were grown in orbit.
