Applications
Will 3D Printing Be Used for the First Commercial Mission to Mars?
If you have been following along for a while, you certainly know that additive manufacturing is playing an important role in the aerospace sector and especially in space travel. Already it is being used for applications in missions to both…
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If you have been following along for a while, you certainly know that additive manufacturing is playing an important role in the aerospace sector and especially in space travel. Already it is being used for applications in missions to both Mars and the moon and now there is another we can add to the list. Impulse Space and Relativity Space have announced the first commercial mission to Mars where Relativity’s 3D printed launch vehicle, Terran R will be used to deliver Impulse’s Mars Cruise Vehicle and Mars Lander. The companies note that they hope the partnership will help to rapidly advance their shared goal of a multiplanetary existence for humanity.
Relativity Space is one of the leading companies using additive manufacturing for space travel. They are especially known for their Terran R which is the first entirely 3D printed rocket in the world. Though the Terran R is not expected to launch from Cape Canaveral, FL until 2024, already its younger, partially 3D printed sibling Terra 1 is undergoing testing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The company strongly believes in using 3D printing as a way to make more innovative, optimized rockets for cheaper, allowing for lower-cost space travel.
The Terran 1 (left) and Terran R (right) side by side (photo credits: Relativity Space)
As fellow commercial providers working on more affordable space travel, the partnership between Impulse and Relativity is a logical one. Under the deal, Relativity will launch Impulse’s Mars Cruise Vehicle and Mars Lander in Terran R from Cape Canaveral, FL until 2029. By working together, the two companies hope to overcome the difficulties in landing on Mars as well as enable research and development on the surface which will help build toward humanity’s multiplanetary future. This mission will be the first commercial flight to Mars, a huge step forward for the industry, though it should be noted that commercial launches are already underway through companies like SpaceX for travel to the moon.
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