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Varda Announces Third Mission Launch, the Company’s Second Launch this Year

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Varda aims to have a monthly launch and reentry cadence, developing a foundation layer for a thriving orbital economy

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Varda Space Industries, Inc., a microgravity-enabled life sciences and reentry company, today announced the successful launch of its third orbital processing and reentry capsule, W-3, just 15 days after the reentry of the company’s second mission, which landed in Australia on Feb. 27, 2025.

The W-3 vehicle, supported by a Rocket Lab-developed Pioneer satellite like its predecessors, lifted off aboard the Transporter-13 rideshare mission with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. 

W-3’s payload is an advanced navigation system called an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) developed by the US Air Force and Innovative Scientific Solutions Incorporated (ISSI). This payload will be tested at reentry speeds it was designed to withstand but has never encountered before.

IMUs are electronics that can measure an object’s motion, orientation, and velocity. For example, everything from cars to wearable fitness trackers have similar devices to tell their computer the orientation and location without the aid of an external signal like a GPS, though commercial IMUs are notoriously inaccurate at high-speed conditions. Varda’s capsule can help test these devices for our government and commercial partners to advance research into high-hypersonic technologies.

“The need for robust, plug-and-play IMU technology is a growing capability area that will significantly advance the current state-of-the-art for domain awareness and control of future systems,” said Dr. Steve NeVille, senior scientist at ISSI. “The W-3 reentry flight test with Varda provides an exciting and unique proto-qualification platform to rapidly advance our IMU technology readiness level in a relevant reentry environment, which is the pinnacle of early development testing.”

Varda’s capsule reenters the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25, a unique environment that offers researchers a chance to gather data for multiple applications, expanding the possibilities for the orbital economy and supporting US national security interests in low Earth orbit.

“Varda’s commercial dual-use reentry capability is a game-changer for enabling rapid technology maturation for future systems,” said Technical Lead for AFRL’s Prometheus reentry testbed program, Dr. Erin Vaughan. “Affordable, frequent reentry flight test opportunities support S&T development for early risk reduction studies, reducing cost and schedule for novel technologies.”

The W-3 capsule’s payload is funded through the Prometheus program, an initiative from AFRL in partnership with Varda. The program addresses a national security need to accelerate testing and modernization of high-hypersonic systems and reentry technologies through a low-cost, high-cadence commercial flight testbed.

“High-cadence, routine operations is our goal. We are working to make reentry as commonplace as launch,” said Varda Vice President for Mission Management, Brandi Sippel. “We are looking forward to the day when sending capsules into orbit and back to Earth is seen as routine.”

W-3 will spend a few weeks on orbit before reentering and landing safely at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch. Varda’s second capsule, W-2, was Australia’s first-ever commercial land reentry.

Distribution Unlimited; Approved for Public Release. Public Affairs Release # AFRL-2025-1094

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 Investor Inquires: ir@varda.com

For Media Inquiries: media@varda.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/varda-announces-third-mission-launch-the-companys-second-launch-this-year-302402400.html

SOURCE Varda Space Industries Inc.

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Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and Positioning Company for Expansion in Renewable and Nutritional Energy Markets

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Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) A fully reporting company. Accelerates Growth Across Energy, Hospitality, and Sustainable Ventures, Driving Scalable Opportunities Worldwide.

LAS VEGAS, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL), an emerging diversified energy company focused on renewable energy and nutritional energy initiatives, today announced that the Company is now a fully reporting company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), marking a major turning point in the Company’s long term growth strategy and public market development.

Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and positioning for Expansion.

“Our transition to becoming a fully reporting SEC company represents a significant milestone for Barrel Energy and an important step toward increasing the overall marketability and visibility of our stock,” said Jarmin Kaltsas. “We believe today’s market increasingly rewards transparency and compliance, and becoming fully reporting positions us to engage a wider audience of investors, strategic partners, and acquisition opportunities as we continue executing our long term growth strategy under the BRLL trading symbol.”

Management further stated that the Company plans to aggressively pursue growth initiatives intended to expand revenues, strengthen market presence, and enhance shareholder value through strategic business combinations, operational expansion, and scalable energy focused ventures.

About Barrel Energy Inc.

Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) is a diversified energy company focused on opportunities in renewable energy, and nutritional energy initiatives. The Company seeks to leverage strategic acquisitions, public market growth, and innovative energy solutions to create long term shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company’s periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission.

Barrel Energy – 3859 S. Valley View Blvd, STE 2 #107, Las Vegas, NV, 89103 Tel- 888- 397-9114 Email- info@BRLLenergy.com Social Media-@BRLLenergy all platforms.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/barrel-energy-inc-announces-full-sec-reporting-status-strengthening-marketability-and-positioning-company-for-expansion-in-renewable-and-nutritional-energy-markets-302768505.html

SOURCE Barrel Energy, Inc.

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Legacy Launches $1M Study Advancing At-Home Semen Collection for Assisted Reproduction Technology

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NEW YORK, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Legacy, the leading male fertility clinic and at-home sperm testing and cryopreservation platform, today announced the Sperm Study, a clinical research initiative backed by an R&D investment of over $1 million and designed to evaluate and optimize the use of at-home semen collection for assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IVF and IUI.

Prospectively enrolling up to 250 participants across two phases, this study represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date into how specimen shipment, handling, and cryopreservation impact sperm quality and is expected to set a new benchmark for scientific rigor in the rapidly growing field of at-home fertility testing. This study is being conducted in collaboration with IVF Academy USA.

Raising the bar for clinical evidence in at-home fertility care

To date, validation work in at-home semen collection has been limited in important ways. Studies have largely enrolled normozoospermic men only, relied on courier-transported rather than real-world-shipped specimens, and focused on short-term motility and concentration as primary endpoints.

Critical questions remain unanswered, particularly around how samples with varying quality perform under genuine end-to-end shipping conditions, and how those samples hold up in the contexts that matter most clinically: IVF and IUI. The Sperm Study is designed to close those gaps.

This multi-phase study will evaluate key sperm quality parameters including motility, DNA fragmentation, and post-thaw viability, while also validating the use of computer-aided semen analysis (CASA) as an alternative to basic manual semen analysis in the setting of mail-in semen analysis.

“With the increased utilization of at-home semen testing and cryopreservation, there is a critical need to ensure these specimens will perform adequately when used for assisted reproduction,” said Legacy’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Scott Lundy. “This study is designed to rigorously evaluate how at-home collection and transport impact sperm quality across a broad patient population and to translate those findings into improved protocols and optimized outcomes for both patients and providers.”

Sperm study design and scientific approach

The Sperm Study is a prospectively accruing cross-sectional study in which paired semen samples are analyzed across multiple timepoints and during the shipment process. Importantly, this study enrolls participants across a range of semen quality profiles — not solely normozoospermic men — and evaluates samples under genuine shipping conditions experienced by real specimens.

Key study components include direct comparison of CASA vs. manual analysis at baseline, evaluation of motility decline over time and in relation to shipment conditions, measurement of DNA fragmentation pre- and post-shipment and cryopreservation, assessment of post-thaw sperm viability and yield, and the development of predictive algorithms for IVF/IUI sample sufficiency.

The study will also examine how factors such as transit time, concentration, and storage conditions impact outcomes, with the goal of generating generalizable insights for clinical practice.

Multi-phase rollout

Phase 1 includes 100 participants and approximately 1,500 total assays, with expected completion in 2026. Phase 2, planned for later in 2026 and into 2027, will expand the study with additional participants, bringing the total to up to 250 to enable broader validation across a more diverse patient population.

Impact on clinical practice

Findings from the Sperm Study are expected to directly inform and improve specimen collection protocols for at-home use, shipping and handling standards for semen samples, cryopreservation practices, and clinical decision-making for IVF and IUI readiness.

By generating high-quality, controlled data across a clinically representative patient population, Legacy aims to provide fertility clinics, researchers, and patients with greater confidence in the use of mail-in semen testing and cryopreservation as part of standard reproductive care.

About Legacy

Legacy is the leading male fertility clinic in the United States, offering at-home semen analysis, sperm cryopreservation, and post-vasectomy testing. With a CLIA-certified, high-complexity andrology lab and one of the largest proprietary datasets in male reproductive health, Legacy is advancing access, data, and innovation in fertility care.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/legacy-launches-1m-study-advancing-at-home-semen-collection-for-assisted-reproduction-technology-302768508.html

SOURCE Give Legacy, Inc.

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Elks Award Nearly $5 Million in College Scholarships

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CHICAGO, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Elks National Foundation welcomed 900 students to the Elks family, awarding more than $4.9 million in scholarships to high school seniors. An Elks scholarship is more than financial aid; it’s an invitation to a network of service-minded peers and a promise that an Elks Lodge is always there with open arms.

Out of more than 23,000 applicants for the Most Valuable Student scholarship, the Top 20 scholars received $30,000 scholarships and an invitation to Chicago for the Leadership Weekend.

From April 30-May 3, the Leadership Weekend allowed scholars to get acquainted with their new Elks family through programming facilitated by current and former Elks scholars, team-building activities, and a service opportunity.

“Leadership Weekend is one of my greatest memories,” says Emily Cai, sponsored by Toccoa, Ga., Lodge No. 1820. “I had the privilege of meeting inspirational and disciplined individuals who motivated me to become the best version of myself. I am excited to see my future with the Elks family!”

A total of 480 runners-up received $4,000 Most Valuable Student scholarships.

Service is a tenet of the Elks, which is why it’s a requirement for recipients of the $6,000 Legacy Awards scholarship, which is exclusively for the children or grandchildren of Elks members. The new class of 400 scholars will serve with an Elks Lodge three times during the four years they receive the scholarship.

“This award means a great deal to me and my family,” says Kelly Butler, sponsored by Haverstraw, N.Y., Lodge No. 877. “Knowing that the Elks have invested in my future motivates me to continue working hard and striving toward my goals.”

To see a full list of the scholarship winners and to learn more about the Elks National Foundation’s scholarships, visit elks.org/scholars, follow the ENF on Instagram @ElksScholars, and like the ENF on Facebook @ElksNationalFoundation.

Contact: Elks National Foundation
Abbey Knupp | Manager, Communications
2750 N. Lakeview Ave. | Chicago, IL 60614-2256
773/755-4864 | AbbeyK@elks.org 

Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities

The Elks National Foundation, the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, helps nearly 800,000 Elks and nearly 1,800 Lodges nationwide build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. To learn more, visit elks.org/enf.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elks-award-nearly-5-million-in-college-scholarships-302768507.html

SOURCE ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.

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