The light methane launch vehicle Terran 1 of the American company Relativity Space, about 85% of the components for the construction of which were created on a 3D printer, could not reach the planned orbit. However, in the company itself, the mission is called partially successful, since they received a lot of information about the operation of such structures and how they will behave in space.
Image Source: Relativity Space
During the Good Luck, Have Fun (GLHF or Good Luck, Have Fun) mission, a problem arose with the rocket’s second stage. However, you can get information about this by yourself watching the video with the launch on YouTube, assembled from materials filmed from several angles.
The first stage of the methane Terran 1 with oxygen oxidation is equipped with nine Aeon rocket engines, the second with only one engine, which is also created using 3D printing. The 33-meter rocket could eventually become the first methane-fueled development to be launched into orbit.
As you know, the launch of Terran 1 was repeatedly postponed, but on March 23 at 06:25 (Moscow time) the launch finally took place from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, owned by the US military. Approximately 4 minutes after launch, Terran 1’s second stage engine failed, so the rocket never reached an orbit of 200-210 km. Fortunately, it did not carry a payload, but in theory it is capable of launching cargo weighing more than a ton into low Earth orbit.
An important advantage of the rocket is the relatively low cost of launches – at the level of $ 12 million. Representatives of Relativity Space have already reported that the data obtained during the experiment will be used in the development of the heavy Terran R rocket, which will use 95% of printed components. The new version will be able to put up to 20 tons of cargo into orbit, it will be reusable, and the launch is scheduled for 2024. According to some reports, this version of the launch cost will be able to compete with SpaceX’s workhorse, the Falcon 9 rocket.
The company emphasizes that it has already entered into agreements with NASA and the US Department of Defense, and the use of 3D printing technologies allows you to build rockets in just 2 months.
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