Intelsat orders Relativity launches
October 12, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Relativity Space, which builds rockets with a high proportion of 3D components, has won a multiyear, multiple launch order from satellite operator Intelsat. Relativity says it will launch Intelsat satellites using its future Terran R (for ‘reusable’) rocket.
California-based Relativity did not disclose the overall contract value or the cost of each individual launch, but said it added to an overall backlog worth $1.8 billion over nine customers for its Terran R, rocket due to enter service in 2026. In April, Relativity said its backlog was valued at $1.65 billion.
Jean-Luc Froeliger, SVP/space systems at Intelsat, praised Relativity for its “innovative design and production process” for Terran R.
It is fairly certain that Relativity’s launch prices will be highly competitive and undercutting those of the industry’s current favourite launcher, SpaceX.
“The space industry clearly requires more commercially competitive, diversified and disruptive launch capacity,” said Tim Ellis, CEO of Relativity. “Relativity is developing Terran R as a customer-focused reusable launch vehicle to solve this need.”
In March Relativity lost a rocket, its Terran 1 version, and the company has abandoned development work on the version and is now focussing on the Terran R medium-to-heavy lift version which can handle launch weights of up to 5500 kgs and place that cargo to Geostationary orbit. Lower orbiting launches means that its cargo capacity rises to 23,500 kgs.
Intelsat didn’t go into details about why it has declared its confidence in ordering multiple launches of an untested vehicle that is still about three years from its first launch.
Relativity is using what it describes as its ‘fourth generation’ Stargate metal 3D printers. Rocket stage and engine testing is conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Terran R will launch the Intelsat missions from Space Launch Complex 16, Relativity’s launch site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Relativity already has launch contracts with Iridium and OneWeb/Eutelsat.