Relativity Space and Impulse Space aim to reach Mars before SpaceX to become the first private companies to land on the red planet. A few months ago, their joint mission was to land in 2024. Finally, we will have to wait a little longer.
Three companies with Mars in their sights
SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, has already expressed its intention to become the first private company to land on Mars. To do this, the company is developing its Starship rocket. Ultimately, the objective would be to colonize Mars and allow humanity to become a multiplanetary species. On the calendar side, nothing is set in stone yet, but the latest news, SpaceX plans to land for the first time on Mars by 2026.
A few months ago, two young companies had then displayed similar ambitions, proposing to join forces to send a lander on site from 2024, when the positions of Earth and Mars will align again.
One of these companies is Relativity Space. Founded in 2015, it focuses on the development of advanced technologies enabling the production of 3D printed rockets. In this way, the company intends to revolutionize the aerospace industry, in the same way as SpaceX a few years ago, by allowing more affordable access to space.
Last March, Relativity Space had also made a first attempt to launch its Terran-1 rocket model. Unfortunately, the launcher failed to reach orbit.
Impulse Space is for its part a company founded by Thomas Mueller, a former SpaceX in charge at the time of the development of the Merlin engines which propel the Falcon 9 rockets.
The configuration of their joint mission would be as follows: once launched into space by a rocket from Relativity Space (the Terran-R, under development), the Impulse spacecraft would detach from the upper stage to begin its descent to Mars. Approaching the Red Planet, a capsule would separate from the cruise stage to attempt a landing similar to that of the recently aborted InSight mission.
A modified schedule
From the start, the profile of this mission seemed optimistic, at least from the point of view of the timetable. Recall that in 2016, Elon Musk himself also declared that the Starship would make its first unmanned flight to Mars by 2022. Despite everything, these thundering announcements remain necessary to attract investors.
Moreover, and as one might expect, the landing on Mars of these two private companies will also have to wait a little longer. Speaking at the Humans to Mars summit, held May 16-18 in Washington DC, the leaders of Impulse Space and Relativity Space indeed announced that their mission to Mars should now be launched in 2026reported SpaceNews.
The reasons for this discrepancy have not been clearly expressed. However, they could be linked to Relativity Space’s decision to shelve development of its Terran-1 rocket after it failed to reach orbit on its maiden flight in March. The company is now focusing on the development of its successor (the Terran-R) which should debut in 2026, two years later than expected.
2023-05-26 16:27:32
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