Mars Beckons: Eric Schmidt’s Relativity Space Set to Challenge SpaceX with NASA Contract

Relativity Space, the ambitious rocket maker now under the stewardship of former Google executive chair Eric Schmidt, has landed a groundbreaking contract with NASA. This week, the space agency announced it has tapped Relativity to construct and launch a dedicated spacecraft to Mars, a move that could see Schmidt’s venture beat Elon Musk’s SpaceX to the Red Planet. This high-stakes mission, dubbed Aeolus, signals a pivotal moment for Relativity, NASA’s public-private partnership model, and the intensifying commercial space race.

Key Takeaways

• **Mars Mission for Relativity:** NASA has contracted Relativity Space, backed by former Google executive chair Eric Schmidt, to develop and launch the Aeolus mission to Mars by 2028, aiming to provide critical atmospheric data.
• **Public-Private Partnership Model:** The deal highlights NASA’s increasing reliance on commercial space companies, leveraging private investment to stretch its budget while sharing both development costs and inherent risks.
• **Schmidt’s Martian Gambit:** This contract positions Eric Schmidt’s Relativity as a direct challenger to Elon Musk’s SpaceX for the coveted title of the first private entity to reach Mars, marking a significant turn in the commercial space race.

The Aeolus Mission: Charting Mars’ Atmosphere by 2028

The contract tasks Relativity Space not only with building the spacecraft but also launching it into orbit and guiding it to Mars. This structure mirrors NASA’s successful collaborations with companies like SpaceX for International Space Station cargo resupply or Firefly Aerospace for lunar landers, where the government agency focuses on scientific objectives while the private sector provides the essential infrastructure at a potentially lower cost.

Slated for a 2028 launch, the Aeolus mission is designed to house a sophisticated suite of four scientific instruments. Its primary objective is to measure and image Mars from orbit, delivering what NASA anticipates will be the first daily, global perspective of the planet’s atmospheric dust, winds, and temperature. This invaluable data is crucial for enhancing the safety of future robotic landers and, critically, for preparing the ground for human expeditions to the Martian surface.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, a proponent of these public-private ventures and a two-time private astronaut himself, underscored the synergy of the partnership. “By pairing NASA’s world‑class instruments with commercial innovation and investment, we can deliver more science, more often, and reduce the time it takes to get essential data into the hands of researchers preparing for future human missions to Mars,” Isaacman stated. The 2028 deadline is aggressive, demanding that Relativity rapidly design and construct the spacecraft, alongside completing development of its Terran R rocket, which will propel Aeolus into deep space. While the financial specifics of the contract remain undisclosed by NASA, and Relativity has yet to comment, the implications for both parties are immense.

Relativity’s Rocky Ascent and Schmidt’s Strategic Intervention

Relativity Space was founded in 2015 by two former engineers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Their initial vision was revolutionary: to leverage advanced 3D printing technologies to produce rockets faster and more affordably than traditional manufacturing methods. Their inaugural rocket, the Terran-1, launched in March 2023 but unfortunately failed mid-flight. Undeterred, the company quickly pivoted, shifting its focus to the development of a larger, more powerful design—the Terran R.

However, the capital-intensive nature of rocket development soon led to significant fundraising challenges. It was at this critical juncture last year that Eric Schmidt, a titan of the tech world and former Google executive chair, stepped in. Schmidt acquired a majority stake in Relativity, taking the helm as CEO. His investment, while largely kept under wraps, is widely believed to be part of a broader space strategy. Schmidt has publicly expressed interest in developing orbital data centers and is reportedly planning to launch Lazuili, a space telescope funded by his family philanthropy, Schmidt Sciences, using Relativity’s capabilities.

Schmidt’s foray into the highly competitive and financially demanding rocketry sector initially raised eyebrows among industry observers. However, persistent delays from competitors, notably Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, have created a pent-up demand for new launch vehicles. If Relativity’s Terran R can successfully make it to space, Schmidt’s calculated risk could yield substantial returns, not just from NASA contracts but also from a hungry commercial satellite launch market.

High Stakes: The Mars Race and a Tech Titan’s Rivalry

Beyond the scientific and commercial implications, the Aeolus contract introduces a compelling narrative of rivalry between two tech titans: Eric Schmidt and Elon Musk. The two have frequently sparred over issues like AI safety, and now their ventures are set to compete on a new, cosmic stage. While Musk has long articulated his grand ambitions for Mars colonization, SpaceX itself has yet to send its own dedicated mission to the Red Planet (and no, the Tesla Roadster launched in 2018 famously missed its intended trajectory to Mars, instead ending up in solar orbit).

If Relativity’s Aeolus mission successfully launches on schedule in 2028, it could mark a historic milestone: the first private mission to reach the Red Planet. This achievement would not only validate Schmidt’s audacious investment but also potentially give him bragging rights over his long-time rival, Musk, in the ultimate space race. However, the path to Mars is fraught with peril, and NASA is acutely aware of the risks involved. While the public-private partnership model helps the agency stretch its budget, it also means investing in unproven entities. The space industry has seen its share of startup partners go bankrupt or deliver missions that fall short of expectations, such as Moon landers arriving off-kilter.

For Relativity, the potential payoff extends far beyond the NASA contract. Success with Aeolus could unlock a lucrative market for commercial applications, including launching satellites for other companies or delivering cargo to the Moon. Yet, the further into deep space these commercial services venture, the less defined and more challenging the market becomes, requiring a careful balance of innovation, reliability, and sustained financial backing.

Bottom Line

NASA’s contract with Relativity Space for the Aeolus Mars mission is more than just a scientific endeavor; it’s a bold gamble on the future of commercial space and a strategic move by Eric Schmidt. It underscores NASA’s evolving reliance on private industry to achieve ambitious goals, simultaneously sharing the financial burden and accelerating timelines. For Relativity, it represents a critical opportunity for redemption and validation following past setbacks, while for Schmidt, it’s a high-profile challenge to Elon Musk’s Martian aspirations. The success of Aeolus in 2028 could reshape perceptions of private space capabilities, cementing Relativity’s place as a major player and potentially altering the trajectory of human exploration to the Red Planet.