Relativity Space
Relativity Space is an aerospace manufacturer that pioneered 3D-printed rocket manufacturing and is now developing Terran R, a fully reusable medium-lift vehicle targeting the Falcon 9 market.
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- Long Beach, United States
- Stage
- Late stage
- Ownership
- Private
- Total raised
- $2.45B
- Last valuation
- $4.2B
- Employees
- 1,000+as of 2019
- Last round
- Strategic · $800M2025-03
- Investors
- 4
Quick Facts
About Relativity Space
Relativity Space is an aerospace manufacturer that pioneered 3D-printed rocket manufacturing and is now developing Terran R, a fully reusable medium-lift vehicle targeting the Falcon 9 market. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company raised over $1.3 billion from investors including Fidelity, Tiger Global, and Mark Cuban. Relativity's Terran 1 — the world's first 3D-printed orbital rocket — flew once in March 2023 but did not reach orbit; the company subsequently cancelled the program and pivoted entirely to Terran R.
Terran R is designed for full reuse of both stages, targeting 23,500 kg to LEO, with a first-stage landing profile similar to Falcon 9. The rocket is manufactured using Relativity's proprietary Stargate metal printing system, which can print a full rocket in 60 days. Terran R represents a direct commercial challenge to Falcon 9's rideshare and dedicated market.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Terran R | Launch vehicle | Two-stage, reusable medium-to-heavy-lift rocket carrying 23,500 kg to LEO (downrange landing) or 33,500 kg expendable, targeting first launch in late 2026 from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 16. |
| Aeon R | Rocket engine | LOX-methane gas-generator-cycle engine producing 269,000 lbf sea-level thrust; 13 power Terran R's first stage for a combined 3,497,000 lbf liftoff thrust. |
| Aeon V | Rocket engine | Vacuum-optimized LOX-methane engine powering Terran R's second stage. |
| Stargate | Manufacturing system | Proprietary large-scale metal 3D-printing system used to build Terran R structures. |
| Terran 1 | Launch vehicle (retired) | 3D-printed rocket that flew once in March 2023, reached space but not orbit; the program was shelved in April 2023 to focus fully on Terran R. |
Timeline
- 2021 Relativity Space announces the Terran R rocket after raising $650 million in Series E funding, describing it as fully reusable including the second stage. [source]
- 2023 Following Terran 1's single, sub-orbital test flight, CEO Tim Ellis announces the company will shelve Terran 1 and redesign Terran R with a fully reusable first stage. [source]
- 2024 Relativity changes Terran R's diameter from 5.5 m to 5.4 m to match Ariane 6. [source]
- 2025 Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, takes over as Relativity Space's chief executive after making a controlling investment; co-founder Tim Ellis moves to the board. [source]
- 2025 Relativity says it is postponing an initial National Security Space Launch Phase 3 bid to focus resources on Terran R's 2026 debut. [source]
- 2025 SES signs a multi-year, multi-launch agreement for Terran R flights, expanding on Intelsat's earlier 2023 launch deal with Relativity. [source]
- 2025 Relativity completes Terran R's critical design review in December and begins producing first- and second-stage flight hardware. [source]
- 2026 Relativity reports Terran R's flight-intent Aeon R engine has logged more than 2,500 seconds of test-stand runtime, with first launch still targeted for late 2026. [source]
Eric Schmidt (CEO), Tim Ellis (Co-founder, board member), Jordan Noone (Co-founder)
Funding history
5 events · $2.45B raised| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-01 | Strategic | $800M | Eric SchmidtEric Schmidt (former Google CEO) acquires controlling stake and becomes CEO; down-round recapitalization totaling ~$800M | indexbox.io |
| 2021-06-08 | Series E | $650M | Tiger GlobalCoatueFidelitySeries E funding for Terran R development | relativityspace.com |
| 2020-11-20 | Undisclosed round | $500.0M | —Form D filed 2020-12-04 by Relativity Space, Inc.: $500.0M sold of a $500.0M offering (first sale 2020-11-20). | sec.gov |
| 2019-09-26 | Undisclosed round | $132.9M | —Form D filed 2019-10-10 by Relativity Space, Inc.: $132.9M sold of a $140.0M offering (first sale 2019-09-26). | sec.gov |
| 2018-03-14 | Undisclosed round | $28.6M | —Form D filed 2018-03-29 by Relativity Space, Inc.: $28.6M sold of a $35.0M offering (first sale 2018-03-14). | sec.gov |
Investors
From the sourced rounds above. Investors with two or more deals in the directory link to a portfolio page.
Team
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
Categories & Capabilities
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Frequently asked about Relativity Space
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Relativity Space founded?
- Relativity Space was founded in 2015 in United States.
- Where is Relativity Space headquartered?
- Relativity Space is headquartered in Long Beach, United States.
- What does Relativity Space do?
- Relativity Space is an aerospace manufacturer that pioneered 3D-printed rocket manufacturing and is now developing Terran R, a fully reusable medium-lift vehicle targeting the Falcon 9 market. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company raised over $1.3 billion from investors including Fide…
- Is Relativity Space a public or private company?
- Relativity Space is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does Relativity Space operate in?
- Relativity Space works in launch services and Manufacturing.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (relativityspace.com)
- Company LinkedIn page
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SpaceNews: Relativity names Eric Schmidt as CEO as it updates Terran R development (2025-03) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- TechCrunch: Eric Schmidt joins Relativity Space as CEO (2025-03-10) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- SpaceNews: Relativity Space delays NSSL bid, focuses on 2026 Terran R debut · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Via Satellite: SES signs on for multiple Terran R launches with Relativity Space (2025-11-12) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Wikipedia: Terran R · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Relativity Space: Terran R product page · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Revelio Labs: Relativity Space employee count (third-party workforce estimate) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Funding: Eric Schmidt (former Google CEO) acquires controlling stake and becomes CEO; dow (2025-03-01) · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Funding: Series E funding for Terran R development (2021-06-08) · retrieved 2026-09-04
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Relativity Space is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.