Terran 1 (launch vehicle)

History

2023: Second launch attempt fails

On March 11, 2023, the American company Relativity Space was forced to cancel the first launch of the Terran 1 ultra-light rocket for technical reasons. This was the second unsuccessful start attempt after the failure of March 8, 2023.

Terran 1 is a two-stage rocket, the main feature of which is that the main part of its components (about 85%) is made by 3D printing. The first stage has nine Aeon 1 engines using liquid methane and liquid oxygen as fuel. The second stage received one Aeon 1 unit. The carrier has a height of approximately 33 meters. It is designed to put small satellites into low Earth orbit. The weight of the payload declared by the developer is 1250 kg. The cost of one launch is estimated at approximately $12 million.

The cost of one launch of Terran 1 is estimated at $12 million

The Terran 1 rocket was supposed to launch on March 11, 2023 from the LC-16 site at the US Space Force base at Cape Canaveral in Florida. The mission does not provide for the use of payloads. It is reported that at first the launch of Terran 1 had to be postponed for more than an hour due to too strong winds at high altitudes. A subsequent attempt was thwarted 70 seconds before kick-off by the boat, which was drifting within the restricted area. Then the launch was canceled by automation: nine engines of the first stage turned off almost immediately after launch. Another attempt was also unsuccessful: 45 seconds before the start, there was an interruption caused by a problem with the fuel pressure on the second stage.

The Terran 1 rocket is the prototype of a larger reusable carrier called the Terran R. It is also planned to be produced using the 3D printing method. At the same time, the mass of the payload will be 20-22 tons. The first launch will take place no earlier than 2024.^[1]

Notes