Relativity Space is ready for the debut launch of the world’s first 3-D printed rocket, Terran 1, from Launch Complex 16 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Because this is a demo flight, Relativity Space is not launching a customer payload but is instead carrying the company’s first metal 3-D print.
Relativity Space will attempt to launch the first Terran 1 rocket to space on Wednesday, March 22nd, during a two-hour launch window that opens at 9 pm CDT and ends at 12:00 am CDT. Wednesday marks the third attempt at launching the rocket, following two earlier attempts cut short by weather, boats in the range, and last-minute launch aborts.
Relativity Space will be provide a live broadcast of the launch on their YouTube channel beginning at 8:30 pm CDT.
The debut launch of Terran 1 is called “Good Luck, Have Fun,” and in addition to being the first 3-D printed rocket to launch to orbit, if successful, Relativity Space will make a couple more firsts for the space industry. It can be the first private, venture-funded space company to reach orbit on its first launch. Terran 1 can also be the first rocket to launch into space using methalox, a next-gen propellant that can make long-distance space travel more efficient.
Terran 1 is 85% 3-D printed, utilizing robotics and autonomous manufacturing tech to print an in house developed metal alloy. The rocket is composed of a first stage, second stage and nine Aeon engines on the first stage and one Aeon engine on the second stage fueled by methalox. Terran 1 is capable of launching payloads of up to 1,250 kgs to low earth orbit. The rocket is expendable, but Relativity Space is developing a reusable rocket called Terran R based off this prototype rocket.
Two earlier attempts to launch the Terran 1 rocket this month faced weather delays and last-second aborts on the launch pad. A first attempt at launching Terran 1 was made on March 8th but ended in a scrub. High-level winds delayed the launch for the first half of the launch window, and then a wayward boat entered the range with less than two minutes left in the countdown. According to Relativity Space, an automatic abort was triggered with less than a minute to launch after the nine Aeon engines fired up due to “exceeding launch commit criteria limits for propellant thermal conditions on stage 2.”
The next attempt to launch came on Saturday, March 11th, but that also resulted in an abort with less than a minute on the countdown clock. Again, launch commit criteria were violated during terminal countdown and ended the attempt with an “automated abort on stage 2 fuel pressure, which was only one PSI low,” according to Relativity Space.
The main goal of this debut launch is to liftoff the launch pad and hopefully reach Max-Q, as stressed by the company multiple times throughout their broadcast. However, Relativity Space hopes to see Terran 1 reach orbit.
This post has been updated with new launch information.
