Taste of the launcher of the future? The world’s first 3D printed rocket is due to make its first flight this Saturday, March 11, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. If successful, the Terran 1 launcher from American startup Relativity Space could revolutionize the space industry, just like SpaceX did with its reusable rockets. The launch will be broadcast live by the company from 18:00 (Paris time).
With a height of 33.5 meters and a diameter of just over 2 meters, the Terran 1 rocket looks like any rocket. Its first stage has nine engines, also 3D printed, while its second stage has one engine. A total of 85% of the rocket’s mass has been 3D printed, with the company aiming for 95% in the future. The benefits are numerous: reduced costs and simplified manufacturing processes with greater flexibility.
After launch, the machine will theoretically be able to put 1250 kg into low Earth orbit. But this launch, dubbed “Good luck, have fun” (which translates into French as “Bonne chance, have fun”), does not carry any payload. Instead, the spacecraft will place its upper stage in an orbit of about 200 kilometers, which contains a metal ring inside its cone – the first component produced by the company using 3D printing technology.
The goal of this first test flight (which will be broadcast live by the company) is to prove that the machine can withstand takeoff pressure and recover as much data as possible to further develop these cheaper rockets. and easier to manufacture, according to the company. The company claims that with its large 3D printing robots, the number of parts is divisible by 100 compared to a traditional rocket. The speed of the method is also emphasized: 60 days from raw material to finished product.
Terran 1 uses a new type of fuel
Another innovation: the Terran 1 rocket uses metalox, a mixture of liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas (mainly methane), as fuel. If the spacecraft manages to reach Earth orbit this Saturday, it will be the first rocket to use this fuel. Relativity Space, which has a long-term vision of contributing to the development of a multi-planetary humanity, claims it’s fuel. “from the future”and it is easiest to produce on Mars.
If the mission goes according to plan, the Terran 1 will be the first rocket to use methane to reach orbit. Landspace’s private Chinese methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket was launched in December but failed to reach orbit. SpaceX’s Starship and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur use methane and are expected to make their first orbital launch attempts within the next two months.
Relativity Space is also developing a larger Terran R rocket that will be able to launch up to 20,000 kg into low Earth orbit. The launch date is not expected before 2024. But the Long Beach startup has already signed $1.65 billion in deals, according to the company’s young boss Tim Ellis, whom he co-founded in 2015. One was with OneWeb, which wants to provide Internet access from space thanks to a constellation of satellites.
A satellite operator can wait years before getting a seat on the big Arianespace or SpaceX rockets. In recent years, dozens of startups have entered the small-to-medium rocket market to meet demand. There are currently about 9,000 satellites orbiting the Earth. According to experts, by the end of the decade their number may exceed 60,000 people. A market that clearly induces greed.
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Source: TF1