Relativity Space is leading the charge in automatic rocket building. Their process uses a custom-built 3D Printer called Stargate to quickly and reliably print out rockets.
The Terran are the rockets created by Relativity, with the Terran 1 being their flagship rocket. The Terran 1 is unique and affordable, with the cost of a dedicated mission being $12M. This cost is very low compared to the cost of launching a SpaceX rocket, which is $316M. The payload capacity is much lower compared to the SpaceX Falcon 9, but enough to fit an entire car. The Terran R is a unique, reusable rocket that Relativity plans to launch in 2024. It can hold up to 20,000kg of storage, comparable to Falcon 9’s 22,000kg. All these rockets can be created from raw materials in 60 days, compared to the years it takes to build standard rockets. Click here.
The Aeons are the powerful engines that power Relativity’s Terran Rockets. Since they are 3D printed, Relativity can fuse many parts together, enhancing mission reliability. All Aeon engines use liquid oxygen + liquid natural gas, which is good for rocket propulsion and the easiest fuel to create on Mars. The Aeon R goes with the Terran R and is completely reusable, and the Aeon 1 is used in both. Click here.
The Stargate is the world’s largest collection of metal 3D printers. Relativity uses Stargate to create their Terran 1, Terran R, and the engines that come with them. The Stargate’s printers allow a completely different set of structural designs that create the Terran. It also allows for real-time quality control, optimized parts, and machine learning. Click here.