World's first 3D-printed rocket awaits debut flight

US-based aerospace firm Relativity Space is prepared to launch the world's first fully 3D-printed rocket into orbit. While the rocket's first two launch attempts were aborted due to last-minute concerns early this month, the company is optimistic that the third attempt will be successful, which has been rescheduled for 23 March.

This will be a test mission that involves a prototype vehicle without a customer payload. The startup aims to achieve its first orbital launch with Terran 1, which is designed to be more cost-effective to produce and operate.

Not only is Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket on the cusp of being a significant achievement for the California-based startup, this is also a step forward in the use of 3D printing in the space sector. 

Relativity and other companies have a vision to use this technology to manufacture tools, spacecraft, and infrastructure while in orbit, on the moon, or on Mars. In such cases, the materials used for construction will be lunar and Martian dirt.

Despite its unconventional manufacturing process, the Terran 1 launch vehicle appears similar to any other rocket. The two-stage rocket is 110 feet tall and has a diameter of 7.5 feet. The major structures, which make up 85 percent of the rocket's mass, including the first and second stages, were 3D-printed. 

Only the electronics, computing system and fasteners that are readily available were not printed. The rocket has a payload capacity of up to 1,250 kg for low-Earth orbit (LEO). The cost of a dedicated mission utilising the rocket is $12 million.

Meanwhile, the company aims to increase the percentage of 3D-printed components to 95 percent for future rockets. Although other companies have used 3D-printed parts in their rockets before, Terran 1 is on another level, as Relativity Space refers to it as the largest 3D-printed object in the world.

Relativity Space built its own enormous 3D printers, including the massive "Stargate," to manufacture the rocket stages and components. The printers utilise a robotic arm with a printhead that extrudes an aluminium alloy. 

According to Josh Brost, senior vice president, the company is currently developing a new generation of 3D printers that will be even larger, capable of printing a single element that measures 24 feet in diameter and 120 feet in length.

"The number one goal for our rocket is to collect as much data as possible and learn as much as possible from the flight," Brost said to Wired. 

He added that there are numerous benefits to 3D printing most of a rocket. By using a 3D printer, the company can manufacture numerous large and intricate components and consolidate them into a single entity, similar to a large set of Lego blocks. This approach decreases labour costs and simplifies supply chain management, ultimately leading to more affordable space hardware.

What is more, Relativity Space intends to use Terran 1 to launch satellites for other companies and NASA into Earth orbit at a relatively lower cost. The company also aims to develop Terran R, a larger and more potent rocket that is entirely reusable, which they hope will rival SpaceX's Falcon 9. 

Currently, Falcon 9 has a smaller payload capacity and only reuses the rocket's first stage. In addition, Relativity Space plans to conduct a test launch of Terran R in late 2024 to transport payloads to Mars.

Several other companies are also investigating the use of 3D printing for space-related applications. For instance, Fleet Space in Australia has been creating 3D-printed, lightweight radio frequency antennas for satellites. Additionally, Redwire (previously known as Made in Space) has been conducting various experiments using 3D printers on the International Space Station since 2016.