Relativity Space
Relativity Space is a U.S. private aerospace company that designs and manufactures rockets primarily via large-scale metal 3D printing (Stargate platform), building the reusable Terran R launch vehicle for satellite operators and U.S. government customers while commercializing its manufacturing technology through Horizon Manufacturing Technologies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLong Beach, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Relativity Space does
Relativity Space, Inc. is a U.S. private aerospace manufacturer founded in 2015 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, that designs, builds, and intends to commercially launch rockets produced almost entirely via large-scale metal additive manufacturing. Its core technology is the proprietary Stargate platform — the world's largest metal 3D printers — which integrates AI, machine learning, and autonomous robotics to produce rockets with roughly 100x fewer parts and a raw-material-to-flight timeline of under 60 days, versus years for traditional aerospace manufacturing. The company's active product is Terran R, a fully reusable medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle (23,500 kg to LEO reusable, 33,500 kg expendable) powered by seven 3D-printed Aeon R engines; the pathfinder Terran 1, launched March 2023, is now retired after failing to reach orbit.
Relativity generates revenue by selling launch services on Terran R to satellite operators, telecommunications companies, and U.S. government customers through negotiated multi-launch service agreements — no public pricing exists. The company has secured more than $2.9B-$3B in pre-sold launch contracts with NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense/Space Force, SES, Iridium, Intelsat, OneWeb, Telesat, Lockheed Martin, Momentus, Impulse Space, and Spaceflight Industries. Beyond launch, it operates two adjacent business lines: Horizon Manufacturing Technologies (commercializing Stargate for aerospace, defense, energy, and maritime customers) and the Interplanetary Sciences Program (anchored by the 2028 NASA Aeolus Mars mission). Revenue is not yet recognized — no vehicle has reached orbit — and the company is pre-revenue pending Terran R's first flight, targeted for late 2026 from Cape Canaveral.
The company is privately held and has raised over $2.9 billion in equity from institutional and strategic investors including Fidelity, BlackRock, Tiger Global, Baillie Gifford, Coatue, General Catalyst, Bond, and Y Combinator, plus individual investors Mark Cuban and Jared Leto. In March 2025, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt invested approximately $800 million for a controlling stake and became CEO, restructuring leadership after the Terran 1 failure and a 2023 Series F down-round. The company operates from six U.S. locations (Long Beach HQ and factory, Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 16, NASA Stennis, Vandenberg, Washington D.C., and Seattle) and employs approximately 2,000 people. Its senior leadership is heavily sourced from SpaceX across engineering, manufacturing, test/launch, revenue, and software functions.
Relativity Space firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Relativity Space
- Legal name
- Relativity Space, Inc.
- Website
- https://relativityspace.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Relativity Space is a U.S. private aerospace company that designs and manufactures rockets primarily via large-scale metal 3D printing (Stargate platform), building the reusable Terran R launch vehicle for satellite operators and U.S. government customers while commercializing its manufacturing technology through Horizon Manufacturing Technologies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Relativity Space is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Long Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Relativity Space business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Launch Services: Launch services for satellite constellations and government missions using Terran 1 (retired) and Terran R rockets, with multi-launch agreements and individual launch contracts
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Launch service contracts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Relativity Space product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Relativity Space designs, manufactures, and launches 3D-printed rockets, anchored by its Terran R fully reusable medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle. The company builds rockets using proprietary Stargate metal 3D printers integrated with AI, machine learning, and autonomous robotics, enabling production with 100x fewer parts in under 60 days. It sells launch services to satellite operators and government agencies via multi-launch contractual agreements, and separately commercializes its Stargate manufacturing platform through the Horizon Manufacturing Technologies business unit.
Product overview
Relativity Space offers a unified product portfolio centered on Terran R, a fully reusable 3D-printed medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle. The core Terran R rocket works in conjunction with proprietary 3D-printed propulsion systems (Aeon R and Aeon Vac engines) and the AI-enabled Stargate manufacturing platform. Supporting offerings include the retired Terran 1 pathfinder rocket, Horizon Manufacturing Technologies (commercializing Stargate for external industries), Dark Matter Lab (research), and the Interplanetary Sciences Program (Mars missions). The company operates across the full value chain from rocket development and manufacturing to launch operations and interplanetary missions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Horizon Manufacturing Technologies: AI-enabled autonomous robotic platform for advanced manufacturing using large-scale additive manufacturing, advanced materials, robotics, and data-driven process control. Serves aerospace, defense, energy, and maritime sectors.
- Terran R
- Terran 1
- Dark Matter Lab
- Interplanetary Sciences Program
Products and services
- Terran R Launch Vehicle A fully reusable, medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle using 3D printing technology. Two-stage rocket delivering 23,500 kg to LEO with downrange landing, 5,500 kg to GTO, or 33,500 kg in expendable configuration. Equipped with seven Aeon R engines on first stage and one Aeon Vac engine on upper stage. Sold to satellite operators and government agencies via multi-launch service agreements.
- Terran 1 (Retired Pathfinder) A two-stage, small-lift 3D-printed rocket that served as Relativity's first pathfinder vehicle. First 3D-printed rocket to fly and first methane-fueled rocket in the West to reach space. Now retired after demonstrating key technologies for Terran R development.
- Launch Services Launch services for satellite constellations and government missions using Terran R rockets, sold via multi-launch agreements and individual launch contracts. Over $1.8 billion in launch service agreements secured from commercial and government customers including NASA, U.S. Space Force, Iridium, SES, Intelsat, OneWeb, Telesat, Lockheed Martin, and others.
- Horizon Manufacturing Technologies Stand-alone business unit commercializing the Stargate AI-enabled autonomous robotic platform for large-scale additive manufacturing. Offers advanced manufacturing services with large-scale metal 3D printing capabilities to aerospace, defense, energy, and maritime customers from a 120,000 sq. ft. facility in Long Beach, California.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100x fewer parts than traditional rockets
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Relativity Space
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Relativity Space technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Relativity Space partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- 6KcorePartnership to convert scrap materials into powder using 6K's UniMelt microwave plasma technology for additively manufacturing rocket components, establishing sustainable manufacturing supply chain
- SESflagshipMulti-launch agreement expansion for Terran R to place SES satellites into orbit, with first launch planned for late 2026 from Cape Canaveral
- Impulse SpaceflagshipPartnership for first commercial mission to Mars using Terran R
- MomentuscoreLaunch Services Agreement for multiple launches on Terran 1, with Momentus providing in-space shuttle services to GEO and other orbits
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Relativity Space competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SpaceX: Dominant US launch provider operating Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship across LEO, GTO, lunar, and Mars-relevant payload classes. Directly comparable business model (vertically integrated launch services) and overlapping customer base with Relativity (NASA, DoD, commercial satellite operators), but SpaceX has flight-proven reusability, mature cadence, and far broader capabilities.
- Blue Origin: Founded by Jeff Bezos, operates the New Glenn medium-to-heavy lift reusable launch vehicle for commercial and government payloads including NASA missions. Closely comparable in target payload class to Terran R and competes for similar DoD and NASA contracts, but with significantly deeper capital backing.
- United Launch Alliance (ULA): Joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin operating Atlas V and Vulcan rockets for national security, NASA, and commercial payloads. Comparable as a US launch services incumbent competing for the same NASA, DoD, and commercial contracts Relativity targets, though ULA lacks the additive manufacturing and 3D-printing core technology.
- Northrop Grumman: Major aerospace prime producing Pegasus and Minotaur launch vehicles as part of a broader defense and space portfolio. Comparable as a government-focused launch provider serving similar DoD and intelligence customers, though as a much larger incumbent with broader defense offerings.
Direct peers
- Rocket Lab: Public small-lift and emerging medium-lift launch operator (Electron, Neutron) serving similar commercial and government customers with dedicated and rideshare missions. Closely comparable business model as a vertically integrated launch services provider competing for the same constellation and responsive launch dollars Relativity targets.
- Firefly Aerospace: Mid-lift launch operator developing Alpha and MLV rockets, with established NASA and DoD contracts including CLPS lunar lander work. Direct comparable as a private US launch services company competing for responsive and mid-lift government and commercial launch missions.
- Stoke Space: Emerging fully reusable small-lift launch developer with backing from key venture investors and DoD contracts. Comparable as a private reusable-rocket competitor pursuing responsive launch and defense missions with similar technology ambitions to Relativity's Stargate-enabled approach.
Emerging players
- Astra Space: Early-stage US launch company developing small-lift rockets targeting responsive and dedicated smallsat launches. Comparable in private-stage launch market focus, though operating in a different payload class than Terran R and demonstrating the high risk profile of private launch entrants.
Others
- Velo3D: Public metal additive manufacturing company producing large-format 3D printers for aerospace and defense applications. Adjacent comparable as a peer in the metal 3D printing technology stack underpinning Relativity's Stargate manufacturing platform.
- ICON: Large-scale additive manufacturing company pioneering robotic 3D printing construction technology. Thematically related as a peer in large-format, robotic, AI-enabled 3D printing platforms; relevant to understanding the broader Horizon Manufacturing Technologies commercialization trajectory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Relativity Space social profiles
Digital presenceRelativity Space financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Relativity Space leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Relativity Space subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Relativity Space funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors36 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Relativity Space M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Relativity Space
What does Relativity Space do?
Relativity Space designs, manufactures, and launches 3D-printed rockets, anchored by its Terran R fully reusable medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle. The company builds rockets using proprietary Stargate metal 3D printers integrated with AI, machine learning, and autonomous robotics, enabling production with 100x fewer parts in under 60 days. It sells launch services to satellite operators and government agencies via multi-launch contractual agreements, and separately commercializes its Stargate manufacturing platform through the Horizon Manufacturing Technologies business unit.
Is Relativity Space a public or private company?
Relativity Space is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Relativity Space founded?
Relativity Space was founded in 2015. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Relativity Space based?
Relativity Space is headquartered in Long Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Relativity Space make money?
One revenue line is on record: launch Services.
Who are Relativity Space's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SpaceX, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Northrop Grumman. Direct peers are Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace and Stoke Space. Astra Space is listed as an emerging player. Others are Velo3D and ICON.
Does Relativity Space have an API?
No public API is recorded for Relativity Space.