[Space] NASA Teams Up With Relativity Space in New Public-Private Push to Reach Mars

[IvoryOttie]

NASA announced a new public private partnership on June 17 to advance Mars science, pairing the agency's scientific leadership with commercial rocketry. Under the deal NASA supplies the Aeolus atmospheric science instrument suite while Relativity Space provides the spacecraft, rocket and cruise operations

It is a notable shift in how NASA is approaching deep space missions, leaning harder on commercial partners to increase how often it can actually fly. The idea is to accelerate discovery and raise mission cadence rather than waiting years between flagship launches

Relativity Space getting a Mars role is a real statement for a company that built its name on 3D printed rockets. If they deliver it validates a whole approach to manufacturing launch vehicles faster and cheaper

The cautious read is that Mars missions are brutally hard and partnership announcements are the easy part. Still, more shots on goal at the red planet is good news for anyone who wants the science to move quicker

NASA Announces Public-Private Partnership to Advance Mars Science - NASAwww.nasa.gov

[Mesh Gareth]

Commercial partners for Mars science is the only way cadence ever improves