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Terran 1 Launch - World’s First 3D Printed Rocket
l John Kraus l 3 Relativity Space l 5 Trevor Mahlmann ll Relativity Space's Terran 1 made a historic test flight, but failed to reach orbit. However, it did notch some important milestones(March 23); More info
Terran 1 launch attempt in about 40 minutes. One of the two rockets I’ve actually seen pre-launch so a little more exciting than usual at my end.
Relativity Space / Aeon / Rocket Engine / Prototype / 3D Printing / 2021
Relativity Space
Relativity Space / Aeon 1 / Rocket Engine / 3D Printing / 2018
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt Takes The Helm At Relativity Space
Relativity Space’s Terran 1 rocket on its launch pad in 2023 Eric Schmidt, renowned for his tenure as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, is nowthe Chief Executive Officer of Relativity Space. Schmidt has also infused capital into the cash-starved company, giving it life and the means to finish its Terran-R medium lift rocket. That rocket is planned to fly from Cape Canaveral as early as next…
wait I’d love to hear more takes on relativity space as I had a few friends who worked there and it always seemed… too good to be true
Ok so keep in mind, I am by no means an expert on space financials and this is just coming from things I've seen researching for my graduate classes and what have you. Essentially, what it seems like is that after the troubles with and eventual cancellation of the Terran 1, Relativity has experienced significant financial difficulty. A Bloomberg article abt it came out a few weeks ago but I've been too lazy to go over the paywall so instead here's some other links.
Honestly, I think Relativity has a lot of really neat ideas. The problem isn't just with the company, but with the launch vehicle industry as a whole. It requires an incredible amount of overhead for facilities, resources, research, and development, and for Relativity their spending also must include the operation and maintenance of their large 3D printers. A lot of launch vehicle companies (particularly small launch vehicles but even some larger ones) go under. There's a reason why the primary US commercial players are just SpaceX, ULA, and to an extent Rocket Lab, and it's because other companies have just failed. Virgin Galactic is scraping by on its last legs, the first privately funded rocket only launched 3 times and only reached space once, and even ULA is struggling to compete with lower-cost, reusable rockets.
Again, I am by no means an expert on the launch vehicle industry, but it is not an industry that many companies come out of alive. SpaceX has survived essentially by following the Amazon model of predatory pricing, ULA has survived based on its established reputation with DOD contracts, and Rocket Lab appeals to the small satellite market (and is already being undermined by SpaceX Transporter/Bandwagon missions).
And I genuinely don't think their business model is a bad idea. I think 3D printed rockets is really cool and it'll be interesting to see how that 3D printing technology may spin-off to earth-based technologies. But I think they really screwed up with Terran 1, I think jumping right to Terran R may be a bad idea, and I think there's places they're losing money that we as the public don't get to see. What they should have done was either cut right to Terran R from the getgo so as not to obliterate all those Terran 1 contracts, or focus on improving and perfecting their 3D printed technology for Terran 1 and then after establishing themselves in the industry moving to a heavier-lift vehicle. They're really in a state of flux right now after the Terran 1 cancellation, and I'm not sure if they'll be able to make it out of it.
But hey, maybe I'll be wrong. Terran R is intended to be reusable, which cuts down on the cost per launch anyway once the technology is established. And there had been a lot of enthusiasm in what the company has to offer. Who knows.
At least their one launch looked cool.
also if your friends know anyone who can get me an in to the industry please let me know. I will do literally whatever so long as it gets me involved in rocket operations in some way. I want to get those big beasties off the ground.
Terran 1 lift-off
