World's first 3D-printed rocket Terran 1 to launch next month

Soon people will see the world's first 3D-printed rocket on its maiden voyage into space, all thanks to California-based Relativity Space. The company announced the launch date for its Terran 1 rocket on Wednesday.

The launch mission, titled GLHF (Good Luck, Have Fun), is scheduled for March 8 at the Cape Canaveral LC-16, Florida, and the launch window will open at 1:00 PM ET. According to Relativity, its 2-stage expendable rocket is the largest 3D-printed object which is 110 ft tall and 7.5 ft wide. The rocket has nine Aeon engines in its first stage and one Aeon Vac in the second stage.

The current Terran 1 vehicle is 85% 3D printed by mass, however, the company aims to reach 95% in the future. GLHF will be the first orbital attempt from the company and would not carry any customer payload. The launch event will be streamed live on YouTube as well for viewers across the globe.

While SpaceX is quite popular for its reusable rockets, Relativity is also working on its own version called Terran R with a 20,000 kg payload capacity. The company claims it can manufacture Terran 1 and Terran R rockets from raw materials to finished products within 60 days. Terran R is expected to launch sometime in 2024.

Source: Relativity Space via Gizmodo

World's first 3D-printed rocket Terran 1 to launch next month