It's All Relative
- Beckett
- Jun 15, 2023
- 2 min read
In 2021, I wrote about living skin that was actually printed from a 3D printer (see Pinch me! Am I Dreaming?) This made me wonder, are there any limits to things you could print with a 3D printer? Enter Relativity.
Relativity (noun): (1) [Physics] the dependence of various physical phenomena on relative motion of the observer and the observed objects, especially regarding the nature and behavior of light, space, time, and gravity. (2) an aerospace company that designs, develops, and builds 3D printed rockets. Wait a minute...what?
On March 22, Relativity launched Terran 1, a 33.5-meter-tall vehicle, from Launch Complex 16 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Base during its maiden flight aptly named Good Luck, Have Fun (GLHF). More importantly, this is the first 3D printed rocket with about 85% of the rocket 3D printed. The first stage or lower portion of the rocket operated nominally with its nine Aeon 1 engines. However, the single Aeon 1 vacuum engine on the second stage or upper portion did not perform as expected, so unfortunately the rocket did not reach orbit. Overall, this was a great accomplishment as most maiden rocket flights are not as successful.
I wanted to learn more about Relativity and had the chance to interview Tjepke Heeringa, Principal Engineer at Relativity Space.
Beckett: I really enjoy math and science. What did you most enjoy studying in school?
Tjepke: I think I enjoyed studying English and science most when I was in high school.
Beckett: How did you know that you wanted to be an engineer and as an engineer, did you always want to work specifically in the aerospace industry?
Tjepke: Since I was a kid I've been into aircraft and helicopters, so becoming an aerospace engineer always felt like a natural choice to me. I earned my degree from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Beckett: Congratulations on the maiden flight of Terran 1, Good Luck Have Fun. I understand that you have been working on the next generation Terran R. What are some aspects of Terran R that you are most excited about including some of the payload capabilities?
Tjepke: We're designing Terran R to be able to lift about 50,000 lbs to low earth orbit and then to land the first stage on a barge in the ocean to be reused. I'm really excited to see how we can use 3D printing to make our rocket better than using more traditional manufacturing methods.
Clearly, there are no limits on what can be made with a 3D printer - skin, rockets and even buildings.