3D-Printed Rocket Didn't Reach Orbit, but Terran Space Is Already Building Its Successor
That was deemed good enough for Relativity Space, as the company is now focused on launching Terran-1's successor.
“Our first chapter as a company was to prove to the world 3D printed rockets were viable. We just did that with Terran 1,” Tim Ellis, Relativity Space co-founder and CEO, said in aUnlike its predecessor, Terran-R is designed to be a much larger 3D printed, medium-to-heavy lift orbital launch vehicle capable of carrying 33.5 metric tons to orbit. The rocket’s first stage will be outfitted with 13 3D-printed Aeon engines while its second stage will have a single methane-fueled engine.
Terran-R’s design is focused on the reusability of its first stage rather than its second stage, made from printed aluminum that would allow up to 20 re-flights. The plan is land the rockets on drone ships stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, similar to how SpaceX lands its Falcon 9 first stage.Relativity Space wants to start launching Terran-R in 2026 from Space Launch Complex 16, the company’s launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
“Terran 1 was like a concept car, redefining the boundaries of what is possible by developing many valuable brand-new technologies well ahead of their time,” Ellis said.It’s a bold move for Relativity Space to move onto the next project despite Terran-1 not fulfilling its inaugural mission. But in this, the new commercial space race, it’s important for companies to move quickly or risk being left behind.
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