Fully Reusable Rocket That Is Entirely 3D-Printed, Ready to Launch in 2024

The vehicle is developed by Relativity Space, an aerospace manufacturing company based in California that already made a buzz with its Terran 1 rocket, also 3D printed, which is scheduled for its first launch later this year. According to Relativity Space, Terran 1 was the world’s first rocket made entirely using 3D printing.

Now the aerospace manufacturer announced its plans for a second 3D printed rocket, called Terran R, which will be able to launch 20 times more payload than its sibling. It will also be fully reusable.

The rocket will be designed using the same method as for the Terran 1 version and will be built by the same team. The 3D-printing technology used to make the Terran R and Terran 1 allows the company to build rockets that have 100 fewer parts than similar vehicles constructed by the competition.

Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis believes that scalable, autonomous 3D printing is inevitably required to thrive on Mars, and Terran R is the second product step in the long-term journey of the company.

Terran R will be 216-foot-tall and with a 16-foot diameter. The rocket will be able to launch over 44,000 pounds (20,000 kg) to low Earth orbit. The vehicle will feature seven 3D-printed Aeon R rocket engines capable of 302,000 lb. thrust each. Its upper stage will house one Aeon Vac engine.

Relativity Space stated its Terran R rocket was developed to accommodate the growing demand for large constellation launch services and the company’s growing pipeline of commercial interest.

The company was funded $650 million for its Terran R project. Relativity Space was founded in 2015 and its Terran 1 rocket secured it nine launch contracts from both private customers as well as governmental ones.

The Terra R 3D-printed rocket is scheduled for its first launch in 2024.