Relativity Space discontinues Terran 1, goes 'all in' on next-gen Terran R

One of the fundamental changes the company will make involves a change to its manufacturing process: it will now combine its 3D-printing method with traditional metal-bending techniques.

In an interview with CNBC, Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis said the company is going "all in" on developing its larger Terran R rocket, meaning it will discontinue Terran 1 after just one launch.

Terran R newly released product update: the next-gen reusable 3D printed rocket. 🚀

💫 Two-stage, 270-foot-tall rocket with an 18-foot diameter
💫 5-meter payload fairing, sending payloads into LEO, MEO, GEO, and beyond
️💫23,500 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), downrange landing… pic.twitter.com/Gi4GLeEoxM

— Relativity Space (@relativityspace) April 12, 2023

"We’re putting all energy and resources on getting Terran R to market as quickly as possible and then getting to a higher rate of reuse for scaling the launch volumes," Ellis explained.

As a point of reference, SpaceX launched its Falcon 1 rocket a total of five times – with the first four launches resulting in failure – before moving on to its Falcon 9 program. Falcon 9 was given the "9" designation because it features nine Merline engines.

After the debut launch of Terran 1 last month, Ellis stated that the launch had been a success, but it meant Relativity Space "had some decisions to make" about whether to continue working on the development of its first rocket.

Relativity Space shifts its focus toward Terran R

Now, Relativity Space is talking to NASA about a mission that was initially intended to fly on Terran 1, and will now presumably become a Terran R payload. Existing customers – Relativity Space has launch contracts totaling more than $1.6 billion – have also been informed their missions will be moved to the Terran R program. Relativity Space expects that Terran R won't launch until around 2026.

To accelerate the development of Terran R, Relativity Space will now use an aluminum alloy in a "hybrid manufacturing approach", which will see it build "tank straight-section barrels" used traditionally in the aerospace industry.

"We're using printing everywhere else strategically to really reduce the vehicle complexity," Ellis explained. "We can actually take the more simple, straight sections of the vehicle and build them traditionally and not have a huge decrement to the amount of difficulty that it is to build."

"Our long-term vision has not changed … we're still super focused on additive development," he continued.