Relativity

Time for an encore! Our avionics engineers take us behind the scenes, sharing more of their funny, personal, tongue-in-cheek circuit board designs as they work on Terran R in style. 👇

1/6 ⚡ A high voltage workout.
2/6 🐱 Mimi the cat, test engineering assistant.
3/6 🚪 It’s an open-and-shut problem.
4/6 😺 I see you, Professor Meowington (named by the engineer’s daughter).
5/6 ✋ Positive thinking. (“Thriving,” a face, and a broken hand)
6/6 🚀 Yes, because we took the lessons from Terran 1 and leveled up.

Our engineers are hard at work developing the avionics for , but they don’t forget to have fun, too. Take a peek at some of the printed circuit boards on the desks of the design & test engineers.

1/5 🆙 A helpful pointer.
2/5 💫 We appreciate the customer service.
3/5🎮 Hint: It’s inspired by the video game, Outer Wilds.
4/5 🐈 Meet Momo (left) and Mimi. Momo is friendly and loves treats just a little too much. Mimi is extremely shy but very sweet once she gets to know you.
5/5 ⚓ Why the pirate ship, you ask? Because it’s on an Aeon Rrrrrr engine controller.

At NASA’s Stennis Space Center, we’ve been busy. From engine hot fires to building new test stands, we’re rapidly expanding the infrastructure and testing capabilities for Terran R.

🔩 At the R Stand (dual-bay vertical engine test stand), the team kicked off the installation of its second flame diverter, moving one step closer to activating the second bay to support a higher cadence of tests for Aeon R.
🔩 The historic A2 test stand is undergoing selective demolition and preparing for the build and installation of its propellant farms.
🔩 In parallel, Aeon R engine hot fires continue at Bay 1 of the R Stand.

Join the Stennis team: https://bit.ly/RelativitySpaceJobs

Today, we honor and remember the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🕊️

Thank you to the Gulf Coast Business Council for selecting Relativity for the award! We are excited to continue our growth on the Coast and we appreciate all of our local partners who support our mission to build the next great commercial rocket company.

It’s an exciting day at Relativity: we’ve been named to CNBC’s 12th annual list for the 4th year in a row! We’re honored to be included alongside other innovative companies that are challenging the status quo and driving innovation within their industries.

See why Relativity was featured in the top 15. 🚀 https://bit.ly/3wzkfxQ

Just a few of our favorite things. 💎

thrust chamber assembly.📸

Soarin’ over Launch Complex 16, Cape Canaveral, FL. – making room for something big, Terran R launch pad in progress.
✔️ Site cleared
✔️ Site grubbed
🔁 Waterline install in progress

We’re proud to call Long Beach home. This weekend, we opened our doors to city residents to share with them more about our vision for the future of aerospace manufacturing in . 🚀

Thank you, District 5 Councilwoman Megan Kerr, Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Lucius Martin, and City Manager Tom Modica for joining us!

📍 R Complex, NASA Stennis Space Center: Aeon R mission duty cycle key learnings.

🔑 Activated and learned to operate a new test facility.
🔑 Ran the longest continuous hot fire duration of the engine hardware.
🔑 Demonstrated start up and shutdown of the engine system.
🔑 Anchored engine performance and pressure ladder against real data.

Watch the fire!

www.youtube.com

The crew that just won’t quit. Last week, the team made history by going from Aeon R’s first hot fire test to completing a full mission duty cycle in the same week. We achieved zero aborts throughout this hot fire campaign...with a new engine on a new test stand. Congrats to all involved, including our team on the ground at NASA Stennis Space Center who have been burning the midnight metholox all week to make it happen.

Watch Aeon R make fire for 143 seconds: https://youtu.be/f8j_LIL3Ne8

Trick or Treat: This month, The Print is presented by Manny, Relativity's resident swag ghost. 👻

Link in bio for the latest scoop. 📰

🏗️ Terran R infrastructure in progress 🔁

📍 we have the crane assembled and ready to get to work at the historic A-2 vertical test stand.

📍Space Launch Complex-16, Cape Canaveral, Florida, demo work is underway for land clearing of 's new propellant farm and future launch pad.

✨Unlock the capabilities of Dual Plasma with our additive manufacturing team. This advanced manufacturing method allows two distinct plasma sources to create precise and high-quality surface modifications on materials, enhancing their performance and functionality for various industrial applications.

We're exploring and pushing the boundaries of its capabilities to print Terran R, our next-gen medium to heavy lift launch vehicle. With nearly six times the total printed content by mass compared to Terran 1, our Stargate metal 3D printers are advancing with the early benefits of Dual Plasma:

✔️ Enhanced control over pe*******on profile and melt-off rates
✔️ Higher deposition rate while maintaining stability and print quality
✔️ Extended run times due to minimal spatter and fume generation

Starting with a blank sheet design, we've developed in-house hardware, system configurations, and integration methods to incorporate the new tech.🚀

2023. Building new history. Continuing the legacy Stennis’ A-2 Test Stand. A walk down memory lane. 👇

🗓️ April 30, 1965. Construction of the A-2 Test Stand begins.
🗓️ October 18, 1965. Installation, of Saturn V S-II-T rocket stage.
🗓️ April 23, 1966. Saturn V’s first test.
🗓️ July 29, 2009. Final space shuttle main engine test.
🗓️ January 15, 2014. Aerojet’s Rocketdyne J-2X engine goes for test.
🆕 Relativity Space welcomes A-2 to the family.

📍Long Beach, CA: Aeon R turbopump testing is currently underway. That's right - our test facilities are operational, beginning with Aeon R turbopump testing. One of the unique aspects of our factory is that our test yard facilities are located right outside, allowing us to conduct cryogenic tests on components before they are incorporated into our engines for further testing at NASA Stennis facilities. This approach helps us mitigate risks and accelerate the iteration process. 🚀

Aeon-R: “Does my new skirt make my flames look fat?👗”

Us: “You look absolutely stunning.🔥”

Over at we’re testing a new article configuration for Aeon R this week, complete with a 3D printed nozzle skirt. A successful operation with lots of good data to inform future tests.

ICYMI: We're thrilled to be named to the list of companies transforming industries for the 2nd year in a row! 🚀

Join us in building the future, https://www.relativityspace.com/careers

Terran 1 🤝 Terran R. Not possible without our day one: Terran 1. Reintroducing Terran R newly released product update: the next-gen reusable 3D printed rocket.

🚀 Two-stage, 270-foot-tall rocket with an 18-foot diameter
🚀 5-meter payload fairing, sending payloads into LEO, MEO, GEO, and beyond
🚀 13x 3D-printed Aeon R rocket engines on stage 1 with Aeon R sea level thrust of 258,000 lbf
🚀 1x 3D-printed Aeon Vac engine on stage 2 with a vacuum thrust of 279,000 lbf

Learn more about the Terran R program at http://relativityspace.com/terran-r

🚀 Terran 1 “Good Luck, Have Fun” First Flight update. Swipe for the download.

Learn more about Terran 1’s first flight and how we’re optimizing learnings for our next gen 3D printed reusable rocket Terran R at : http://relativityspace.com/terran-r

Terran 1, ad astra.

📷

To quote our CEO, Tim Ellis, “wow, what a day.” 🥹🌌

Terran 1 is healthy and ready to GO and engines are ready to be LIT (again). 🔥

Watch the team send it tonight on YouTube. Livestream begins at 21:30 and our launch window opens at 22:00 EDT (02:00 UTC).

📷

Join us late night on March 22nd for our launch, part 3. Our launch window is from 22:00 – 01:00ET. Night time skies mean very cool methane rocket engine plumes.😎

Tune in on YouTube for the livestream. 📹https://bit.ly/Terran1GLHF

Happy ! Today we celebrate the women at Relativity Space pioneering the movement towards inclusion and paving the way for a multiplanetary future. 🚀

Two nights away from Terran 1’s first launch.

Launch window opens at 13:00ET.

🚀Don’t miss the livestream on our YouTube: https://bit.ly/3xIWv7C

Happy ! 🌤 Check out this snap of Stage 1 being brought into the hangar at LC-16 for scale.

To stay up-to-date on the latest happenings as we work towards launch, make sure to sign up for our newsletter here: https://www.relativityspace.com/newsletter

Photo Credit: Trevor Mahlmann