SpaceX launched dozens of spacecraft Monday in a ridesharing mission, including the first factory in space to manufacture pharmaceuticals.

Varda Space Industries purchased four custom-made Photon spacecraft from Rocket Lab to support its goals of in-space manufacturing. The first spacecraft launched Monday from California and is successfully operating in orbit, according to a news release from Rocket Lab.

The satellite includes the Photon spacecraft and Varda's re-entry capsule and was among 72 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and deployed in orbit. Photon provides power, communication and propulsion for Varda's 2-pound (120 kg) capsule, where a pharmaceutical experiment will happen in orbit.

"We have ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL," Varda tweeted about two hours after the satellite was in orbit. "The world's first space factory's solar panels have found the sun and it's beginning to de-tumble."

Once Varda's mission is done, Rocket Lab's spacecraft will place the capsule, with the pharmaceuticals on board, and put it on a trajectory to return to Earth. The capsule must then survive re-entering Earth's atmosphere at speeds up to Mach 25 or about 19,000 mph and land in Utah using parachutes.