Relativity takes over NASA facility to set up 3D printing rocket factory

Relativity, the world’s first autonomous rocket factory and launch services leader announced at the beginning of June that it secured an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The company will install part of its production at one of NASA’s site to benefit from more than 20,000 square meters to launch its rockets into space by the end of 2020. Above all, this merger will enable Relativity to accelerate the development of its rockets and gain flexibility in its manufacturing process. This is good news for the aerospace sector and confirms that additive manufacturing has more than ever a card to play.

3Dnatives interviewed the startup last year and we discovered a company full of ambition. Thanks to its metal 3D printing system and various investments that now amount for $45 million, the startup is right to be ambitious. The company states that more than 95% of the rocket components are designed using 3D printing technologies and that it should be able to design an entire rocket in only 60 days. It is now located in a former NASA building in New Orleans and benefits from numerous infrastructures that should boost its productivity, such as overhead cranes. Relativity is expected to install its robotic arms and test center for the Terran 1 rocket there.

The first tests for the Terran 1 | Credits: Relativity

With this new printing center, Relativity should be able to accelerate the creation of its rockets. As a reminder, the Californian company had succeeded in reducing by 100 the number of components required to manufacture a rocket using their Stargate robotic arm. Tobi Duschl, Vice President of Relativity Operations added, “The agreement with NASA will accelerate our development. This large space will allow 12 to 24 Terran rockets to be produced each year, with more flexibility and a shorter launch time.”