Terran 1 Is About To Launch For The First Time Ever
Rocket manufacturing is a very complex and difficult process that is beginning to change throughout the space industry. While some companies shift toward unique materials and machines one company named Relativity Space is attempting to 3D print entire rockets including the main structure, and even the engines.
After years of development and testing the first launch of Terran 1, a fully 3D printed small lift orbital class launch vehicle is closer than ever. Relativity CEO Tim Ellis recently provided some valuable updates that the first Terran 1 test article has returned to the pad and is about to attempt a final static fire. If the results are promising the next step will be to launch the rocket.
Right now it’s about to go vertical on the pad at LC-16 in Cape Canaveral Florida. While the launch has been pushed back slightly, it looks like the team and rocket are just about ready now. If successful, this first mission will change the possibilities of rocket manufacturing. Here I will go more in-depth into the final launch prep, when we should expect a launch, the significance of this mission, and more.
Final Static Fire
Starting back on December 5th Tim Ellis tweeted saying, “Vehicle to Transporter Erector integration complete for Terran 1; next up, final checks and pad rollout. This is ahead of vehicle static fire.” Only a few days later and the Terran 1 test article for the first time was vertical on the pad at LC-16. Around this same time period, Relativity confirmed that the only thing they were waiting on besides completing the static fire and final checks was a launch license from the FAA.
After all of these updates, we stopped hearing from Relativity on Terran 1 and exactly what to expect. This was the case up until the last couple of days. Specifically, Tim Ellis tweeted for the first time since December and mentioned, “Back to the Cape! Closer every day, final prep for upcoming static fire then launch closely after.” This included an image of Terran 1 on the transporter erector about to go vertical on the pad once again. Based on this tweet we can expect static fire testing within only a few weeks and a possible launch in March next month. Relativity hasn’t provided a specific date and only comments that the launch is intended for 2023. This comes after multiple delays in 2022 that pushed the launch back to early this year.
The mission, called “GLHF” (Good Luck, Have Fun), will lift off from Launch Complex 16. Almost 4 years ago Relativity was granted a Right of Entry for its own rocket launch facilities at this specific site. LC-16 has quite a history and is one of the few major launch facilities still available at Cape Canaveral. Focusing on the rocket, this launch of Terran 1 is the first orbital attempt by Relativity and will not include a customer payload. This is the reason for the small nosecone on the top of the Terran 1 test article rather than an actual payload fairing.
Terran 1 is a two-stage, 110ft. tall, 7.5 ft. wide, expendable rocket, making it the largest 3D printed object to exist and to attempt orbital flight. Working towards its goal of being 95% 3D printed, Relativity’s first Terran 1 vehicle is 85% 3D printed by mass. Terran 1 has nine Aeon engines on its first stage, and one Aeon Vac on its second stage. One of the most exciting parts about this mission besides the 3D printing aspect is the race for the first methalox propelled rocket to reach orbit. Not long ago China launched a rocket fueled with methane but the second stage failed to reach orbit. Even Tim Ellis commented on this and said, We have a wide-open shot at being the first methane fueled rocket to fly to orbit now with Zhuque-2 mission outcome. Getting past max Q will prove our 3D printing tech handles max flight stress (already proven in ground acceptance testing) which is key for scaling to Terran R. However, there are a few other launch vehicles including Vulcan and Starship that are also right around the corner from their first launch.
Terran 1
Now that we know more about Terran 1’s progress and when we can expect to see it launch, we can take a closer look at the rocket itself and how Relativity is trying to change the manufacturing process. Starting at the bottom, the Terran 1 first stage assembly consists of three main components: the thrust structure, the Stage 1 tank, and the interstage. The tanks share a common dome and airframe that is integrally printed as monolithic sections, where a horizontal welding process integrates Stage 1 segments together to achieve the final stage structure.
A transfer tube carries LOX through the center of the LNG tank to the engines. Nine Aeon-1 engines power the first stage with up to 23,000 lbf thrust per engine at sea level, for a total thrust of up to 207,000 lbf at liftoff. Terran 1 autogeneously pressurizes the tanks with gaseous natural gas and gaseous oxygen via heat exchangers integrated into the Aeon-1 engines, eliminating the need for a separate pressurization system and avoiding the use of helium on the vehicle entirely. Electromechanical actuators gimbal the outer 8 engines, providing thrust vector control. The stage separation system is located at the forward end of the interstage and interfaces with the second stage.
Moving up, the Terran 1 second stage consists of a monolithic printed tank with integral common dome, payload attach fitting, and separable fairing. A single Aeon Vacuum engine powers the second stage with up to 28,300 lbf-vac using a fixed 165:1 expansion nozzle and is capable of multiple restarts including provisions for a deorbit burn. Similar to Stage 1, a heat exchanger on the AeonVac engine generates gaseous natural gas and gaseous oxygen that pressurize their respective tanks autogeneously. Stage 2’s payload controller offers separation initiation, separation detection, ethernet, and serial in-flight payload telemetry channels.
Pitch and yaw control is provided by electro-mechanical thrust vector control actuators affixed to the Aeon Vacuum engine. Roll control and pointing are performed using cold nitrogen gas reaction control thrusters located near the aft end. Lastly, at the very top, the 3-meter payload fairing is a metallic, 2-piece clamshell design with a frangible axial seam, a tongue-in-groove radial joint at the base, pneumatic pushers to separate, and acoustic mitigation provided by acoustic blankets. Altogether this creates the Terran 1 launch vehicle, built in Relativity’s reimagined factories.
The company’s proprietary Factory of the Future centers on Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printers, that create Terran 1 from raw material to flight in 60 days. Relativity points out its Stargate printers’ patented technology enables an entirely new value chain and innovative structural designs that make Terran 1 and even Terran R possible. By developing its Factory of the Future and rockets together, Relativity accelerates its ability to improve design, production, quality, and speed. Relativity developed multiple proprietary alloys custom designed for 3D printing to meet mission-critical performance. These parts are inspected during and after printing to ensure they meet the highest standards of uniformity and quality.
Relativity highlights that for 60 years, aerospace manufacturing has relied on large factories, fixed tooling, complex supply chains, and extensive manual labor to build costly rockets comprised of 100,000+ parts in 2 years or longer. In order to accelerate innovation in the industry, Relativity built its unique factory, the first aerospace platform to automate rocket manufacturing, vertically integrating intelligent robotics, software, and data-driven 3D printing technology. Incorporating Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer with AI-driven controls, its Factory of the Future continuously optimizes production, resulting in greatly compounded quality and time improvements, lower costs, and product designs previously not possible. Relativity is an application-layer 3D printing company that wants to start with rockets, before extending its Factory of the Future to all of aerospace.
While there have been a lot of delays on this maiden flight over the last couple of years, we are now closer than ever. With Terran 1 about to go vertical on the pad, LC-16 will soon once again host a rocket launch. The LC-16 launch facility was historically used for Titan missile launches, the Apollo moon program, the Gemini program, and Pershing missile launches. What’s so important is the fact that LC-16 is capable of supporting Relativity’s rocket, Terran 1, as well as the company’s future expansions in payload capacity, and comes with substantial existing infrastructure and operational history. The Right of Entry that was awarded signified the U.S. Air Force’s formal acceptance of Relativity to build and conduct launch operations from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This is the first and only direct agreement the U.S. Air Force has completed with a venture-backed orbital launch company at LC-16, and includes on-site vehicle integration and payload processing, with the opportunity to extend to an exclusive 20-year term. Something key to this first launch and many more missions to come.
Conclusion
Relativity Space is in the process of moving the Terran 1 test article to the pad and making it vertical. Within the next couple of weeks, we can expect a final static fire. If the results look promising then Relativity will be ready to launch Terran 1 for the first time likely around March. We will have to wait and see how it progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.