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Aarhus / Long Beach, 8 July 2022. – The first company to 3D print entire rockets, Relativity Space, has signed a multi-year, multi-launch Launch Services Agreement (LSA) with global communications network company, OneWeb, the companies said. According to the LSA, Relativity will launch OneWeb’s low Earth orbit satellites on its Terran R rocket from 2025.
Terran R is the first fully reusable and entirely 3D printed, medium-heavy lift launch vehicle. It was designed for growing satellite constellation launch demand and multiplanetary transport. OneWeb is Relativity’s fifth signed customer for Terran R, totalling over US $1.2 billion in backlog.
These launches under the LSA will support OneWeb’s Gen 2 satellite network deployment, adding capacity and capabilities to its constellation. The initial constellation will consist of 648 satellites.
Relativity utilizes 3D printing, autonomous robotics, and machine learning to simplify its supply chain. It is capable of printing rockets with 100x fewer parts in less than 60 days, compared to the standard 18 months. The comapny’s fourth generation Stargate 3D printer is 10 times faster and is equipped with in-process monitoring.
Relativity employs more than 800 people, and is planning to increase this number to over 2,000 employees at its new headquarters. The facility will include a metallurgical laboratory, powder bed fusion printers, a mission control centre, and of course, dozens of Stargate 3D printers.
