Trevor Mahlmann/Relativity Space
Editor’s note: After several holds and aborted attempts, Relativity Space scrubbed its Saturday afternoon launch of the Terran 1 rocket. The company said further updates and a new launch plan will be issued soon. Check Gizmodo’s Spaceflight in the coming days for more information.
Update: 3:38 p.m. ET: Relativity Space gave it a royal try today, but ultimately chose to forgo the attempt. No reason was given for today’s scrub, nor do we know when the company might try again.
Last summer, Astra’s Rocket 3.3 came crashing down after failing to reach orbit and deliver a pair of shoe-box sized satellites. Following a six-month investigation, the California-based startup identified the culprit: fuel injector blockage that resulted in combustion chamber burn-through.
After securing a launch license, Relativity Space is eager to see its Terran 1 rocket get off the ground. The California-based company opted to skip a final engine test and set a launch date for the inaugural flight of its groundbreaking 3D-printed rocket.
SpaceX livestream/Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Hugh Hastings/Getty Images
As NASA gears up for a return to the Moon with the Artemis missions, the administration has announced that its researchers have successfully developed and tested a new type of supersonic rocket engine called a rotating detonation rocket engine.