“Varda Space Industries is one of only three U.S. companies, along with SpaceX and Boeing, to have successfully executed full-loop orbital spacecraft re-entry and has secured a first-of-its-kind FAA Part 450 license extending through 2028.”
Varda's orbital reentry achievements and pioneering FAA license are real, but the claim's specific framing contains material errors. The FAA Part 450 license extends through 2029, not 2028 as stated. The "only three U.S. companies" exclusivity is unsupported — Inversion Space received an FAA spacecraft reentry license in 2024, and other entities may qualify. The license's novelty is specifically as a "reentry vehicle operator" license, a critical qualifier the claim omits, since the FAA has issued 14 Part 450 licenses to various operators.