via TechCrunch
NASA Picks Eric Schmidt’s Rocket Company for Mars Mission, Setting Up a Race with SpaceX
NASA has selected Relativity Space—a rocket manufacturer acquired last year by former Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt after struggling to reach orbit—for a groundbreaking Mars mission that could see the company beat SpaceX to the Red Planet.
On Tuesday, NASA announced it had contracted Relativity to build a spacecraft carrying a suite of scientific instruments, launch it into space, and fly it to Mars. The contract structure mirrors the deals NASA previously made with SpaceX for cargo deliveries to the International Space Station and with Firefly Aerospace for a lunar lander. Under this model, the government handles the science while the private company provides low-cost infrastructure.
The mission, named Aeolus, will carry four instruments designed to measure and image Mars from orbit. NASA expects this to provide the first daily, global view of Martian dust, winds, and atmospheric temperatures. The agency stated that this data will improve safety for future landers and, eventually, astronauts visiting the Red Planet.
“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,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement.
The mission is slated for launch in 2028—an aggressive timeline that requires Relativity to design the spacecraft for Aeolus instruments and complete its rocket, all under tight deadlines. NASA did not disclose the contract value, and Relativity did not respond to TechCrunch inquiries.
Isaacman, who has flown to space twice on private SpaceX missions, has championed such public-private partnerships. Under this model, the company assumes some development costs in exchange for allowing NASA to stretch its budget further—a structure that has become a template for the agency to fund ambitious missions without bearing all financial risk.
However, NASA is also taking on significant risk: Relativity is unproven, and there is no guarantee the mission will launch successfully. Past NASA startup partners have faced bankruptcy or seen lunar landers arrive incorrectly. The potential payoff for Relativity extends beyond the NASA contract, including commercial applications like satellite launches or Moon cargo deliveries. Yet, the further these partnerships extend into space, the murkier the market becomes for commercial services.
Relativity was founded in 2015 by two former SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers, aiming to maximize 3D printing for cheaper rockets. Its first design, Terran-1, launched in March 2023 but failed mid-flight. The company then pivoted to a larger design, the Terran R.
Before Terran R could reach the launch pad, Relativity faced fundraising challenges. Schmidt took a majority stake last year, installing himself as CEO. He has been tight-lipped about the investment but has expressed interest in orbital data centers and is believed to be using Relativity to launch a space telescope, Lazuili, financed by his family philanthropy, Schmidt Sciences.
Looking ahead to 2026, this partnership underscores NASA’s continued reliance on commercial partners for cost-effective space exploration. It also sets the stage for a high-stakes race between Relativity and SpaceX, with Mars as the ultimate prize.