Relativity Space is attempting something no company has done before: fundamentally reinvent how rockets are built . Using the world's largest 3D metal printers, the Long Beach–based startup has reduced the part count of a traditional rocket by 100×, compressing manufacturing timelines from years to months. It's an approach that doesn't just make rockets cheaper — it could eventually enable manufacturing beyond Earth . Founded in 2015 by Tim Ellis (formerly of Blue Origin) and Jordan Noone (formerly of SpaceX), Relativity attracted a war chest of over $2 billion in total funding. In March 2025, former Google and Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt acquired a controlling stake and became CEO, injecting nearly $800 million in fresh capital to accelerate the heavy-lift, reusable Terran R toward its debut launch in late 2026. AI-generated image Terran 1, the world's first 3D-printed rocket, on the pad at Cape Canaveral before its historic March 2023 launch. $2B+ Total Funding (incl. Schmidt's $800M, 2025) Late 2026 Terran R Target First Launch 33,500 kg Terran R to LEO (Expendable) $1.2B+ Binding Launch Contracts ~1,200 Employees 87 m Terran R Height The 3D Printing Revolution At the core of Relativity's value proposition is Stargate — the world's largest 3D metal printer. Standing over 7 meters tall, Stargate uses directed energy deposition and wire-feed additive manufacturing to build rocket structures layer by layer, from raw metal wire to flight-ready hardware. The system integrates AI-driven process control, real-time monitoring, and machine learning to optimize each print run, continuously improving the manufacturing process. Traditional rockets contain tens of thousands of individual parts that must be separately manufactured, inspected, and assembled. Relativity's approach reduces part count by 100× , collapses the supply chain, and compresses build timelines from 18+ months to under 60 days . The factory footprint shrinks proportionally — Relativity claims it can produce rockets with a fraction of the tooling, fixtures, and floor space required by conventional manufacturing. Why 3D Printing Changes Everything • Part Reduction: ~100× fewer parts than traditional rockets • Build Time: Under 60 days from raw material to flight hardware • Iteration Speed: Software-defined manufacturing allows rapid design changes • Supply Chain: Minimal external dependencies — just metal wire and propellant • Scalability: Same Stargate printers can produce different vehicle variants Terran 1: "Good Luck, Have Fun" On March 22, 2023, Relativity Space launched Terran 1 from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 16 on a mission dubbed "Good Luck, Have Fun." It was the first orbital launch attempt of a predominantly 3D-printed rocket, and by any measure, a landmark moment in aerospace manufacturing history. Terran 1 successfully lifted off and completed its first-stage burn, separating cleanly and igniting the second stage. While the upper stage experienced an anomaly and the rocket did not achieve orbit, the mission accomplished its primary objectives: validating 3D-printed structures under the extreme loads and vibrations of flight, proving the Aeon 1 engine in a flight environment, and demonstrating that additively manufactured rockets can survive Max-Q — the point of maximum aerodynamic stress during ascent. AI-generated image Relativity's Aeon engine on the test stand. The 3D-printed powerplant significantly reduces manufacturing complexity compared to traditional rocket engines. Following the Terran 1 flight, Relativity made the strategic decision to retire the vehicle and focus entirely on Terran R. The reasoning was straightforward: the small-sat launch market had become increasingly competitive, while the heavy-lift market — driven by mega-constellation demand — offered far larger commercial opportunities. Terran 1 had served its purpose as a technology demonstrator; Terran R would be the revenue vehicle. Terran R: Heavy-Lift and Reusable Terran R represents a massive scale-up from Terran 1. Standing 87 meters tall , the two-stage vehicle is designed to deliver 33,500 kg to LEO in expendable mode and 23,500 kg with first-stage reuse . This puts Terran R squarely in competition with SpaceX's Falcon 9, ULA's Vulcan Centaur, and Rocket Lab's upcoming Neutron. AI-generated image Concept rendering of Terran R, Relativity's heavy-lift reusable launch vehicle, designed to compete in the mega-constellation era. Specification Detail Height 87 m (285 ft) Payload to LEO (Expendable) 33,500 kg (73,855 lb) Payload to LEO (Reusable) 23,500 kg (51,809 lb) First Stage Engines 13× Aeon R Propellant Methalox (liquid methane / liquid oxygen) Reusability First stage propulsive landing First Flight NET Late 2026 Launch Site Cape Canaveral LC-16 Terran R is powered by 13 Aeon R engines on the first stage — a 3D-printed, methalox, gas-generator cycle engine that represents a significant upgrade from the Aeon 1 that powered Terran 1. The shift to methane aligns with the industry-wide trend toward methalox propulsion, driven by its clean-burning characteristics (better for engine reuse) and the possibility of manufacturing methane propellant from Martian or lunar resources. The company has secured over $1.2 billion in binding launch contracts , with key customers including SES, Intelsat (now part of SES), and OneWeb. In November 2025, SES expanded its multi-launch agreement with Relativity, with the first dedicated mission targeting late 2026. OneWeb has signed for 20+ launches. Where Things Stand in Early 2026 Relativity's February 2026 program update — released publicly on March 9, 2026 — revealed steady hardware progress across both stages of the vehicle. The Stage 1 propellant tank completed welding and entered integration. Stage 2 was reported over 90% released, with composite overwound pressure vessels (COPVs) and thermal protection installed. The thrust structure is advancing, with fire ceiling and avionics work underway. Interstage barrels are machined. On the propulsion side, Aeon R engines are ramping production and test firing at NASA Stennis Space Center . The Aeon V — the vacuum-optimized upper stage engine — remains in development. At Cape Canaveral, the horizontal integration facility (HIF) at LC-16 is nearing structural enclosure, the water tower is progressing, and the launch mount is advancing on schedule. February 2026 Hardware Milestones • Stage 1 tank: Welding complete, now in integration • Stage 2: Over 90% of flight parts released; COPVs and TPS installed • Aeon R engines: Production ramping at Stennis, test firing underway • LC-16 HIF: Nearing enclosure; water tower and launch mount progressing • 1,500+ flight parts released total as of end-2025 Relativity called 2026 a "defining year" for the program in its December 2025 company update, targeting major test milestones, full vehicle integration, and the debut launch from LC-16. Early launch cadence goals suggest up to four flights, ramping in subsequent years. Eric Schmidt's Bet: Rockets as the Path to Orbital Computing The story of how Schmidt came to run Relativity is worth understanding. In early 2025, Relativity was in financial trouble after burning through over $1 billion on Terran 1, the pivot to Terran R, and aggressive infrastructure buildout. Schmidt acquired a controlling stake in March 2025, injecting nearly $800 million and taking the CEO chair. His background — scaling Google, chairing Alphabet, and deep involvement in AI policy and computing infrastructure — is not typical for a launch company chief executive. His reasoning became clearer in May 2025, when reporting from Ars Technica and others connected the dots: Schmidt had publicly discussed AI data centers consuming up to 9% of global electricity by 2030, creating an "industrial crisis." Space-based data centers, powered by constant solar energy and able to radiate heat into vacuum, could circumvent terrestrial energy and cooling constraints entirely. Terran