Relativity Space and Intelsat sign Contract for Launches of 3D Printed Terran R Rocket

Relativity Space, the leading 3D-printed rocket company, announced the signing of a multi-year launch services agreement with Intelsat, operator of the world’s largest integrated space and terrestrial network. Under the agreement, Relativity will launch Intelsat satellites using Terran R rockets as early as 2026.

The Terran R rocket, a medium- to heavy-lift, reusable launch vehicle, is designed to meet the growing demand for satellite launches and ultimately inter-planetary transportation, providing both government and commercial customers with cost-effective access to space in low (LEO), medium (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) Earth orbits and beyond. Relativity boasts a total of nine signed customers for Terran R, with multiple launches and a backlog of more than $1.8 billion.

“We are honored to be working with Intelsat to launch future spacecraft into their industry leading satellite fleet,” said Tim Ellis, Co-Founder and CEO of Relativity Space. “They have an incredible company and team as a world leader in content connectivity with nearly 60 satellites already in orbit. The space industry clearly requires more commercially competitive, diversified, and disruptive launch capacity. Relativity is developing Terran R as a customer-focused reusable launch vehicle to solve this need. We look forward to planning, executing, and successfully launching these missions together with Intelsat.”

“After 60 years of commercial satellite launches, Intelsat and our customers have come to expect reliability, efficiency and flexibility from our launch providers,” said Jean-Luc Froeliger, Intelsat Senior Vice President of Space Systems. “Relativity has developed an innovative design and production process for the Terran R, which will deliver benefits to Intelsat for years to come.”

Terran R is designed to meet the growing demand for launch services for large satellite constellations. The rocket supports usage scenarios ranging from dedicated payload deployments for constellation customers or single geosynchronous satellites to rideshare configurations for multiple customers* per launch. In doing so, Relativity is putting customers first and developing rockets that are more cost-effective to produce and fly while maintaining high performance and reliability.

Terran R is designed and manufactured at Relativity’s headquarters in Long Beach, California, where the fourth-generation Stargate 3D printers are located. Stage and engine testing will take place at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, and Terran R’s Intelsat missions will be launched from Space Launch Complex 16, Relativity’s orbital launch site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.