Relativity Space
Company Overview
Relativity Space is an American aerospace manufacturing company headquartered in Long Beach, California. Founded in 2015 by Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone, the company aims to revolutionize the orbital launch industry by 3D printing entire rockets. While traditional aerospace manufacturing relies on complex supply chains and hundreds of thousands of individual parts, Relativity utilizes additive manufacturing to print rockets with 100x fewer parts in a fraction of the time?roughly 60 days from raw material to flight-ready vehicle.
The company?s ultimate vision extends beyond Earth; it views its 3D printing technology as the prototype for the industrial infrastructure necessary to build cities on Mars. By creating a "software-defined factory" capable of printing complex structures with minimal human intervention, Relativity aims to serve the interplanetary future while competing in the commercial satellite launch market on Earth.
Continue…In 2025, the company entered a new strategic phase under the leadership of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, focusing its resources entirely on heavy-lift reusability.
Core Technology: The Software-Defined Factory
Relativity?s competitive advantage lies in its proprietary manufacturing stack, which combines 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and autonomous robotics.
Stargate Printers
At the heart of Relativity?s operations is Stargate, the world?s largest metal 3D printer. Unlike standard 3D printers that use powder beds, Stargate uses a Directed Energy Deposition (DED) process, melting metal wire with powerful lasers to build structures layer by layer.
- Generation 4 Stargate: The latest iteration of these printers operates horizontally rather than vertically. This orientation allows for the printing of massive, single-piece fuselages up to 120 feet long and 24 feet wide, removing previous height constraints.
- Adaptive Manufacturing: The printers are equipped with sensors and computer vision that monitor the print in real-time. If a flaw is detected, the printer?s AI adjusts the printing parameters on the fly to correct it, ensuring structural integrity without scrapping the part.
Launch Vehicles
Terran R (In Development)
Terran R is the company?s flagship vehicle, a medium-to-heavy lift rocket designed to compete directly with vehicles like the SpaceX Falcon 9. It is designed to be fully reusable and is manufactured using the Stargate system.
- Payload Capacity: Designed to lift approximately 23,500 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in reusable mode, or up to 33,500 kg in expendable mode.
- Reusability: The first stage is designed for rapid reusability, capable of returning to land downrange on an ocean platform or at the launch site.
- Construction: The vehicle leverages exotic 3D-printed aluminum alloys that are tuned for high strength and minimal weight, a feat difficult to achieve with traditional tooling.
- Status: Targeted for its maiden launch from Cape Canaveral (Launch Complex 16) around 2026.
Terran 1 (Retired)
Terran 1 was Relativity?s first vehicle, a small-lift expendable rocket that served as a proof-of-concept for their manufacturing technology.
* Historic Flight: On March 22, 2023, Terran 1 became the first 3D-printed rocket to reach space. It successfully survived "Max Q" (maximum dynamic pressure), proving that printed structures could withstand the extreme forces of launch.
* Outcome: Although it did not reach orbit due to a second-stage anomaly, the mission validated the core printing technology. Following this flight, Relativity retired the program to pivot all resources toward the larger Terran R.
Propulsion
Relativity designs and manufactures its own liquid-propellant rocket engines, which are also primarily 3D printed.
Aeon R
The powerhouse of the Terran R vehicle.
* Fuel: Methalox (Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Methane). Methane is chosen for its clean-burning properties (less soot buildup for reuse) and the theoretical possibility of synthesizing it on Mars.
* Cycle: High-pressure gas generator cycle.
* Thrust: A single Aeon R engine produces roughly 258,000 lbf of thrust at sea level. The Terran R first stage utilizes 13 of these engines.
Aeon 1
The engine used on the retired Terran 1. It was one of the first engines to be printed from a single piece of material (combustion chamber and nozzle), drastically reducing part count and potential failure points.
Services
- Commercial Launch: Relativity offers launch services for satellite constellation operators, government agencies (DoD), and commercial payload providers. The high payload capacity of Terran R allows for large "rideshare" missions where multiple satellites are deployed at once.
- Dedicated Missions: For customers requiring specific orbits or distinct launch windows, the company offers dedicated flights.
