There are currently 7.8 billion people on Earth. While it remains true that the human population is continually growing, it’s also true that the planet we inhabit is not. The creative minds at Relativity Space work toward a possible way to adapt to this situation, and it lives on in the company vision to one day build factories on Mars.
Relativity is aiming to upgrade humanity’s industrial base on Earth and expand it to Mars, and it just closed on a $500 million Series D to help make its vision a reality. Led by Tiger Global Management, the new funding will allow the company to accelerate its commercialization, production scaling and long-term development as it produces the world’s first fully 3D printed rocket: Terran 1.
Needing ample space to construct the vehicle, Relativity recently completed work on its new headquarters: a 120,000-square-foot warehouse space in Long Beach. Not only will the facility serve as a manufacturing and launch base, there are various job openings at the new office. With plans to expand its team of more than 230 people, Relativity has available positions in software development, engineering, recruitment, sales and marketing and more.
The company witnessed uninterrupted progress during the COVID-19 pandemic since the production of Terran 1 is largely implemented by automated robotic systems, company-developed software and artificial intelligence.
Relativity also utilizes original Stargate 3D metal printers, the largest existing printers of their kind. According to the company, this technology will enable one of its rockets to be produced from scratch and fully functional within 60 days.
Terran 1 is composed of 95 percent 3D-printed components and has 100 times fewer parts than its traditional rocket counterparts. Relativity’s simplified supply chain has made it an attractive prospect for investors. To date, the company has raised a total of nearly $700 million.
“The compounding rate of improvement and iteration possible through our disruptive approach will be unlike anything seen before. If we are going to live on Mars, it is inevitable that this factory of the future must exist to build humanity’s industrial base once there,” said Tim Ellis, Relativity’s co-founder and CEO in a statement. “At Relativity, we look forward to furthering an iconic new technology to build the future of humanity in space, faster.”
The company says it has new initiatives planned that it will announce in 2021. In the meantime, Ellis previously announced that Relativity is already set to launch Terran 1 into orbit next year from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
