NASA picks Eric Schmidt’s rocket company for Mars mission, setting up a race with SpaceX
This title could be clearer and more informative.Try out Clickbait Shieldfor free (5 uses left this month).
NASA has selected Relativity Space, the rocket company acquired by former Google executive chair Eric Schmidt, to build and launch a spacecraft for the Aeolus Mars mission. The spacecraft will carry four scientific instruments to measure Mars' atmosphere from orbit, providing the first daily global view of dust, winds, and temperature. The mission is set to launch in 2028 under a public-private partnership model where Relativity shares development costs. This sets up a potential race with SpaceX, which has never sent its own science mission to Mars despite Elon Musk's long-stated ambitions. Relativity, founded in 2015 using 3D printing technology, has yet to successfully reach orbit with its Terran R rocket.
