Relativity space increases its investment in NASA's Stennis Space Center, with the company leasing a historic first-stage test stand to advance development of the Terran R launch vehicle.
Under the new agreement, Relativity will lease the A-2 testbed to NASA for a period of seven years, at a price of $2,76 million. The company has the option to renew the lease for up to an additional 10 years. The new investment brings Relativity's total footprint in Mississippi-based Stennis to more than 300 acres.
Like many of the other test stands at Stennis, Bench A-2 was originally built in the 1960s to test Saturn V rocket engines. Since 1976, NASA used the stand to test the space shuttle main engines; More recently, the space agency tested J-2X rocket engines at the booth. This is the first time a commercial aerospace company will use the booth.
"The A-2 testbed has a rich history for NASA and NASA Stennis," NASA Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech said in a statement. “It has been the site of numerous historic tests, including the Apollo Saturn S-II stage, the space shuttle main engine, and the Constellation J-2X engine test programs. “It is exciting to see this historic structure continuing to provide valuable propulsion service almost 60 years later.”
The stand has been unused for nearly a decade, so Relativity will commit an undisclosed amount of capital to modernizing and adapting the infrastructure. For example, the test stand is currently only configured to withstand thrust up to 650.000 pounds. After Relativity's updates, the mount will be able to withstand a thrust of more than 3,3 million pounds.
Over time, the company plans to conduct advanced first-stage testing of the medium- to heavy-lift Terran R rocket. In a statement, Relativity said the new booth will allow the company to increase its testing cadence and shorten time to market.
Relativity has the largest commercial presence in Stennis, where it has other 10-year exclusive use agreements for the E2 and E4 engine test complexes. The company is currently building facilities it calls Complex R, which will support testing of Terran R vehicles and engines, and will include additional engine test stands and a full-scale stand for second-stage testing.
The company plans to invest $267 million in its Stennis facility by 2027. Relativity's goal is to launch the Terran R for the first time in 2026.
