FLORIDA: The world’s first 3D-printed rocket is scheduled to blast off from Florida on Saturday on the maiden flight of an innovative spacecraft billed as less costly to produce and fly.
The rocket liftoff, Terran-1, at Cape Canaveral had been scheduled for Wednesday but, because of propellant temperature issues, was postponed at the last minute. Relativity Space, a California aerospace industry firm, has changed the launch window to be on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. (1800 to 2100 GMT).
Rocket to enter low Earth orbit
Eight minutes after launch, Terran 1 is scheduled to enter low Earth orbit on a mission to collect data and show that it can resist the rigours of launch and space travel. According to Relativity, if the rocket successfully reaches low Earth orbit, it will be the first privately-funded methane-fueled spacecraft to do so. The Terran 1 rocket will eventually be able to launch up to 2,755 pounds (1,250 kilograms) into low Earth orbit, but it is not carrying a payload on its initial flight.
The rocket has a diameter of 7.5 feet (2.2 meters), is 110 feet (33.5 meters) tall, and 85 percent of its bulk, including the engines, is made of 3D-printed metal alloys. The Long Beach-based startup claims it is the most significant 3D-printed object ever, intending to create a rocket that is 95% made of 3D-printed parts.
According to Relativity, the liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas used in Terran 1’s Aeon engines are the “propellants of the future,” capable of one day enabling a trip to Mars.
The Starship rocket from SpaceX and United Launch Alliance are developing Vulcan rockets. Nine 3D-printed Aeon 1 engines make up the first stage of Terran 1, while one 3D-printed Aeon Vacuum engine makes up the second.
Moreover, Relativity is developing the Terran R, a more powerful rocket that can launch a payload weighing up to 44,000 pounds (20,000 kg) into low-Earth orbit. The first launch of a Terran R, intended to be completely reusable, is planned for Cape Canaveral in the upcoming year.
A satellite operator can wait for years for a slot on an Arianespace or SpaceX rocket, and Relativity Space intends to expedite the timetable with its 3D-printed rockets. Because of its excellent cost-effectiveness, radical flexibility, and customizability, 3D printing has the potential to democratize space more quickly, according to the company.
Relativity claimed that its 3D-printed rockets had 100 times fewer parts than conventional rockets and could be assembled from raw materials in just 60 days for the Terran 1 and Terran R. Relativity has already signed commercial launch contracts worth $1.65 billion, mainly for the Terran R, according to CEO Tim Ellis, who co-founded the company in 2015.
“Medium-heavy lift is clearly where the biggest market opportunity is for the remaining decade, with a massive launch shortage in this payload class,” Ellis tweeted.
