(Credit: Relativity Space) From bodily organs to entire houses, it’s now possible to 3D print just about everything—and now an aerospace startup is adding rockets to that list. California-based Relativity Space is preparing to launch the first 3D-printed orbital rocket this month after six years of work.

Relativity Space initially planned to launch the rocket Wednesday, March 8. Observers eagerly watched the company’s YouTube livestream, vapor swirling around the 35-meter rocket. After an hour and 40 minutes, however, Terran 1 was still sitting atop its Cape Canaveral launchpad, and commentators announced Relativity Space’s decision to push back the launch.

“As you saw, we unfortunately scrubbed for today,” one commentator, Relativity Space infrastructure project manager Arwa Tizani, said. “While we obviously had high hopes for sending our Terran 1 off today, we’re going to continue to take a measured approach so we can ultimately see this rocket off to max q and beyond.”

Relativity Space quickly followed up with a tweet saying it had been forced to push back Terran 1’s launch after it exceeded Stage 2’s launch commit criteria limits for propellant thermal conditions. “When using liquid natural gas, the methane needs time to get to the right concentration,” Relativity Space explained. “This is why our next attempt will be a few days from now.” The company now plans to attempt the launch between 1 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.

Today’s launch attempt for #GLHF Terran 1 was scrubbed due to exceeding launch commit criteria limits for propellant thermal conditions on stage 2. The team is working diligently toward our next launch window in the coming days. Check back here soon for updates on the launch… https://t.co/LxWJzfZ9BI pic.twitter.com/M4RVu6EkR8

— Relativity Space (@relativityspace) March 8, 2023

Relativity Space first began developing Terran 1 back in 2017. Today, the expendable two-stage small-lift launch vehicle is capable of lifting up to 1,250 kilograms (2,755 pounds) into low-Earth orbit (LEO). But its first flight won’t carry a payload: Relativity Space just wants to see Terran 1 touch space to consider the rocket a success.

What makes Terran 1 so special, though, is how it’s manufactured. Relativity Space says 85% of the rocket by mass is 3D printed, including its engines, which run on liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid natural gas (LNG). The company’s printers, collectively called Stargate, are said to be the biggest metal 3D printers in the world and can bring Terran 1 from raw material to flight in just 60 days.

Once Terran 1 finally gets off the ground, Relativity Space plans to shift its focus toward Terran R, an entirely 3D-printed rocket that can be reused. Terran R, which will be capable of bringing 20,000 kilograms to LEO, will hopefully launch from Florida’s Space Coast sometime in 2024.

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