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A 3D printed rocket could soon take flight. Where does it fit in to a growing launch market?

Relativity Space's Terran 1 at its Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of its maiden launch.
Trevor Mahlmann
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Relativity Space
Relativity Space's Terran 1 at its Cape Canaveral launch pad ahead of its maiden launch.

Relativity Space’s Terran 1 rocket is set to take flight from Cape Canaveral this week. It’s mostly built with 3D-printed parts and would be the first of its kind should it reach orbit during its first launch.

Relativity Space has ambitious plans for its novel manufacturing plan for rockets with even bigger rockets on the horizon. We’ll speak with the company’s CEO Tim Ellis about the stakes of this upcoming test launch.

Then, Relativity Space’s new rocket is joining a crowded launch market. So where does it fit in? We’ll speak with industry analyst Caleb Henry, director of research at Quilty Analytics, about the state of the private launch industry.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.<br/><br/>Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.
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