Relativity Space: General Thread

[Daniels30]

A Q+A with Relativity Boss Tim Ellis on First Launch, Terran R, and More - Payload

https://payloadspace.com/interview-relativity-tim-ellis/

[raspera]

A Q+A with Relativity Boss Tim Ellis on First Launch, Terran R, and More - Payload

https://payloadspace.com/interview-relativity-tim-ellis/

In this interview Tim says their new printer can make 4 Terran R's per a year and they are building 12 of them. Implied production capacity is 48 Terran-R rockets per year.

He also says Terran-R will be 'fully reusable'.

Why do you need to invest millions in this printer that can make rockets like pancakes if they are all 'fully reusable'? 

[FishInferno]

Why do you need to invest millions in this printer that can make rockets like pancakes if they are all 'fully reusable'?

They'll likely follow in SpaceX's footprints: Get the rocket launching to orbit first, then use customer flights as "free" landing tests until it works.

I believe they've also said that the upper stage will be flat-out expendable at first, so they'll still need a high production rate for that especially once reusable first stages increase the flight rate.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/relativityspace/status/1595524126466134018

Currently, at The Wormhole, our Long Beach HQ, a star is at work.

👋 Stargate 4th Generation printers.

#TerranR

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1605610041788096512

It’s happening…

[JEF_300]

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1605610041788096512

It’s happening…

Oh damn, they're painting their name on the building! That's the most important step in launching an orbital rocket! It really is happening!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that, but some of these hype tweets make it too easy.

Though if Relativity really does think of itself as more of a industrial company than a launch company, then in that context the factory name painting is slightly more significant.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1605748284470964224

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1605791506664525825

Heh! The engines have people names!

[Cheapchips]

For those who didn't click through to Chris's tweet, those names are from the fighting game Mortal Kombat.  There's been 70 or so characters over the years, so they have a few more engines to go before they need to switch naming schemes.

[jongoff]

Oh damn, they're painting their name on the building! That's the most important step in launching an orbital rocket! It really is happening!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that, but some of these hype tweets make it too easy.

AIUI, they've been stuck waiting for the FAA AST to finish their launch license review for several months now. I visited their shop almost exactly two months ago, and they had already been waiting for over a month at that point. There are probably only a tiny sliver of their staff that can do anything to impact when they get their launch license at this point. I'm sure they'd rather be showing off pictures and videos of a successful Terran-1 launch, but rather than sit on their thumbs waiting for their license, they're showing off other things going on, rather than just go radio silent while they wait their turn with the FAA.

I'd suggest cutting them some slack. If they had permission to fly, but still weren't flying and were showing off other stuff, the criticism might be more valid. But right now they're waiting on an agency that's dealing with a record number of new launch vehicles needing licenses, but that is understaffed because Congress has cut their budget requests most years in recent memory.

~Jon

[TrevorMonty]

Oh damn, they're painting their name on the building! That's the most important step in launching an orbital rocket! It really is happening!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that, but some of these hype tweets make it too easy.

AIUI, they've been stuck waiting for the FAA AST to finish their launch license review for several months now. I visited their shop almost exactly two months ago, and they had already been waiting for over a month at that point. There are probably only a tiny sliver of their staff that can do anything to impact when they get their launch license at this point. I'm sure they'd rather be showing off pictures and videos of a successful Terran-1 launch, but rather than sit on their thumbs waiting for their license, they're showing off other things going on, rather than just go radio silent while they wait their turn with the FAA.

I'd suggest cutting them some slack. If they had permission to fly, but still weren't flying and were showing off other stuff, the criticism might be more valid. But right now they're waiting on an agency that's dealing with a record number of new launch vehicles needing licenses, but that is understaffed because Congress has cut their budget requests most years in recent memory.

~Jon

Still plenty to work on in mean time eg Terran R.

[JEF_300]

Oh damn, they're painting their name on the building! That's the most important step in launching an orbital rocket! It really is happening!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that, but some of these hype tweets make it too easy.

AIUI, they've been stuck waiting for the FAA AST to finish their launch license review for several months now. I visited their shop almost exactly two months ago, and they had already been waiting for over a month at that point. There are probably only a tiny sliver of their staff that can do anything to impact when they get their launch license at this point. I'm sure they'd rather be showing off pictures and videos of a successful Terran-1 launch, but rather than sit on their thumbs waiting for their license, they're showing off other things going on, rather than just go radio silent while they wait their turn with the FAA.

I'd suggest cutting them some slack. If they had permission to fly, but still weren't flying and were showing off other stuff, the criticism might be more valid. But right now they're waiting on an agency that's dealing with a record number of new launch vehicles needing licenses, but that is understaffed because Congress has cut their budget requests most years in recent memory.

~Jon

The issue isn't the lack of progress; that I understand perfectly and don't begrudge them. The issue is captioning a tweet of little importance "It's happening...", as though it somehow is important. That's what I was mocking.

[jongoff]

The issue isn't the lack of progress; that I understand perfectly and don't begrudge them. The issue is captioning a tweet of little importance "It's happening...", as though it somehow is important. That's what I was mocking.

Ok, fair.

~Jon

[TrevorMonty]

The issue isn't the lack of progress; that I understand perfectly and don't begrudge them. The issue is captioning a tweet of little importance "It's happening...", as though it somehow is important. That's what I was mocking.

Ok, fair.

~Jon

Tim is guilty of blowing Relativity's trumpet a bit to much given they've not flown anything yet, let alone reach space.

[PM3]

Tim is guilty of blowing Relativity's trumpet a bit to much given they've not flown anything yet, let alone reach space.

As he always did. Relativity is a show business company, which also owns huge 3D printers and builds rockets. I suspect that they are most competent in the show segment. That's why they collected the most inverstor money of all space startups.

[Robotbeat]

I don’t see the reason to complain about this sort of thing. Tim is easily excited about stuff. Good for him. You’re not under any obligation to also be excited, and that’s okay. But complaining about someone being excited about something is lame. Especially as they have moved relatively (heh) fast.

I’m happy for Tim and the rest of the Relativity team.

[Airlocks]

But right now they're waiting on an agency that's dealing with a record number of new launch vehicles needing licenses, but that is understaffed because Congress has cut their budget requests most years in recent memory.

(facepalm) Meanwhile Congress is funding SLS like crazy. Oh well... 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262228654043136

Sliding into home plate on end of year milestones… this time, a long duration hotfire of our upgraded Aeon 1 engine 🥶

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262449664516097

Higher thrust, higher efficiency than v1 Aeon 1

[russianhalo117]

twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262228654043136

Sliding into home plate on end of year milestones… this time, a long duration hotfire of our upgraded Aeon 1 engine 🥶

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262449664516097

Higher thrust, higher efficiency than v1 Aeon 1

Looks like a CRT's Moray beam pattern.

[tyrred]

twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262228654043136

Sliding into home plate on end of year milestones… this time, a long duration hotfire of our upgraded Aeon 1 engine 🥶

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262449664516097

Higher thrust, higher efficiency than v1 Aeon 1

Looks like a CRT's Moray beam pattern.

That's a moiré

[russianhalo117]

twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262228654043136

Sliding into home plate on end of year milestones… this time, a long duration hotfire of our upgraded Aeon 1 engine 🥶

https://twitter.com/thetimellis/status/1608262449664516097

Higher thrust, higher efficiency than v1 Aeon 1

Looks like a CRT's Moray beam pattern.

That's a moiré

Darn autocorrect.