NASA picks eric schmidt’s rocket company for mars mission, setting up a race with spacex

At a glance:

• NASA awarded Relativity Space the Aeolus contract to launch a Mars‑orbit science platform in 2028.
• The mission will carry four instruments to deliver the first daily, global view of dust, winds and temperature on Mars.
• Relativity, now backed by former Google chair Eric Schmidt, must build the spacecraft and its Terran R launch vehicle on a tight timeline.

What happened

NASA announced on Tuesday that it has selected Relativity Space, the 3‑D‑printed rocket maker now owned by former Google executive chair Eric Schmidt, to build and launch a spacecraft for a Mars‑orbit science mission dubbed Aeolus. The agency’s statement frames the deal as a public‑private partnership similar to its cargo contracts with SpaceX for the International Space Station and its lunar lander contract with Firefly Aerospace. Under the agreement, NASA supplies the scientific payload while Relativity provides the low‑cost launch infrastructure.

Mission details

Aeolus will carry four scientific instruments designed to measure and image the Martian atmosphere. The data set is expected to be the first daily, global view of dust, winds and temperature on the Red Planet, information that NASA says will make future lander missions—and eventually crewed flights—safer. The agency quoted administrator Jared Isaacman: “By pairing NASA’s world‑class instruments with commercial innovation and investment, we can deliver more science, more often, and reduce the time it takes to get essential data into the hands of researchers preparing for future human missions to Mars.”

The launch is slated for 2028, giving Relativity roughly five years to design and construct both the spacecraft that will host the Aeolus instruments and the Terran R launch vehicle that will carry it to orbit. NASA has not disclosed the contract’s monetary value, and Relativity declined to comment to TechCrunch.

Why it matters

The contract underscores NASA’s growing reliance on commercial partners to stretch its budget while sharing development risk. Isaacman, a two‑time private‑flight astronaut on SpaceX missions, has championed this model: companies assume part of the development cost in exchange for a revenue stream, allowing the agency to pursue ambitious science without bearing the full financial burden. However, the partnership also transfers risk to NASA, as Relativity remains an unproven provider. Past NASA startups have filed for bankruptcy or missed critical milestones, and there is no guarantee Aeolus will even reach orbit.

Background on relavity space

Relativity Space was founded in 2015 by two former SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers with the goal of leveraging extensive 3‑D printing to lower rocket costs. Its first vehicle, Terran‑1, launched in March 2023 but failed mid‑flight. Undeterred, the company moved to a larger design, Terran R, intended to be fully 3‑D‑printed and capable of delivering heavy payloads to orbit.

Funding challenges slowed progress until Eric Schmidt acquired a majority stake last year and installed himself as CEO. While Schmidt has been tight‑lipped about the exact investment, he has expressed interest in orbital data centers and is reportedly using Relativity to launch a space telescope named Lazuili, funded by his family philanthropy, Schmidt Sciences.

Competitive landscape

The selection pits Relativity directly against SpaceX, whose founder Elon Musk has long spoken of Martian colonization but has yet to send a dedicated mission to Mars. SpaceX’s Starship is still under development, and its 2018 Tesla launch missed Mars entirely. Relativity’s Aeolus could become the first private mission to reach the Red Planet if it launches on schedule.

Industry observers note that the rocket market is crowded and capital‑intensive. Delays at Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have created pent‑up demand for new launch providers, potentially giving Relativity a window to prove its Terran R design. Success could open commercial doors beyond the NASA contract, such as satellite launches or lunar cargo deliveries, but the farther the partnership extends into deep space, the murkier the commercial market becomes.

Outlook

If Aeolus flies as planned in 2028, it will not only deliver unprecedented atmospheric data but also demonstrate that a privately owned, 3‑D‑printed launch system can operate beyond low‑Earth orbit. That would mark a significant milestone for the commercial space sector and could shift the balance of future Mars exploration contracts toward companies capable of delivering high‑value science payloads on tight budgets and schedules.

Tim Fernholz is a journalist who writes about technology, finance and public policy. He has closely covered the rise of the private space industry and is the author of Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and the New Space Race. Formerly, he was a senior reporter at Quartz.