Relativity Space (updates)

[DocM]

There's an TON of 9 engine launchers in the works! Wonder why?

 

This looks like one to follow, with about 3x the S1 thrust of Rocket Lab's Electron, NASA development deal, powerful for a small launcher, pushing additive manufacturing, and it looks very scalable.

 

Ars Technica....

 

Quote

NASA deal

 

Relativity announced Wednesday that it has signed a 20-year partnership with NASA's Stennis Space Center for an exclusive lease of the 25-acre E4 Test Complex in Southern Mississippi. The four test stands on the site will allow Relativity to develop and test enough engines to build 36 rockets a year, and the agreement includes an option for the company to eventually expand its footprint at the site to 250 acres.

Ellis said this is the first Commercial Space Launch Act agreement that Stennis has signedunder these agreements, NASA locations with launch-related facilities can share them with the private sector. Kennedy Space Center has used similar agreements, such as the deal allowing SpaceX to use Launch Complex-39A. The Stennis agreement allows Relativity to test 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Ellis said, and tap into site utilities and contract labor as needed. The company values the partnership at $30 million.

Unlike SpaceX, which built engine-test facilities in McGregor, Texas, or Blue Origin, which has a test site in West Texas, Ellis said he sought the partnership with NASA to avoid similar infrastructure costs. "With this partnership, we really don't have to reinvent the wheel," he said. "Because we have exclusive use of the site, we don't have to ask for permission when we want to test."
>

 

 

Terran 1

 

Props: LOX + CH4
S1: 9x AEON 1 S/I (139,500 lbf/15,500 lbf each)
S2: 1x AEON 1 Vac (19,500 lbf)
Pressurization: Autogenous
Structures: propriatory alloy

 

https://www.relativityspace.com

 

Quote

AUTONOMOUS ROCKET FACTORY + LAUNCH SERVICE

 

We are an orbital launch company that will deploy and resupply satellite constellations with industry-defining lead time and cost.
Our entirely new process to build and fly rockets will redefine how we access space to connect our planet.

Relativity's technology builds toward our long-term goal of 3D printing the first rocket made on Mars.

Relativity's technology builds toward our long-term goal of 3D printing the first rocket made on Mars.

A NEW WAY TO BUILD

Relativity is creating the rocket factory of the future:

✓ An entirely 3D printed rocket

✓ A proprietary building-sized metal 3D printer - Stargate

✓ Intelligent hardware + software

✓ Robotic automation enabled by low part count

Complete printing of our rocket, Terran 1, reduces vehicle part count from nearly 100,000 to under 1,000 components - and is the first step toward an entirely autonomous factory.

 

 

Aeon engine

 

Stargate metal printer

 

Terran 1

Edited March 24, 2018 by DocM

[BetaguyGZT]

Cool.  And they're going with CH4+LOX, fab techniques that are "now", and in a neat area that can always use more jobs.

 

I approve.  

[DocM]

Bloomberg did a story, shot video in their facility & did interviews. The two twentysomething principals started at Blue Origin and SpaceX. First flight: 2021.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-18/these-giant-printers-are-meant-to-make-rockets

[Beittil]

Rocket tech agile development to the max, dang! Seems like an interesting party to follow, I hope that by the time they get into business there is still market share to capture!