Ashish Ranjan
Due to a propellant leak, Relativity Space has rescheduled the launch of the ‘first’ rocket of its kind, a 3D-printed spacecraft, for Saturday.
The company tweeted on Wednesday that the launch of the rocket Terran 1 would be delayed due to propellant temperature issues. Bloomberg reported that if it is successful, it will be the first rocket to reach orbit with almost exclusively 3D-printed parts and the first to do so with methane-derived fuel.
Three-dimensionally printed missile
Relativity Space, a relatively new entrant to the space sector with no previous experience in rocket launch, asserted that 85 percent of Terran 1 is 3D-printed. All other elements, including the nose cone, rocket body, internal propellant tanks, and the majority of its Aeon engines, are 3D-printed, with the exception of moving components such as rubber seals, computers, and electrical circuitry.
To manufacture the rockets, the company claims to have constructed the world’s largest metal 3D printer.The company claims that 3D printing will increase the precision of their design and reduce their labour force, thereby drastically reducing the cost of the rocket.
The objective, according to Relativity’s CEO Tim Ellis, a former engineer at Blue Origin LLC, is to prove that the 3D-printed vehicle can withstand Max Q, which occurs during the first few minutes of flight when the rocket is subjected to the greatest forces and stresses.
Methane-powered propulsion
If successful, Terrain 1 will be the first rocket to reach orbit using methane propellant. Despite being less effective than hydrogen, methane does not require as much cold to function and less intricate equipment. Additionally, it has a lower likelihood of escaping from the engine than hydrogen fuel.
One of the most significant benefits of using methane as a fuel is that it produces less soot than petroleum, another alternative fuel.
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Bloomberg quoted an atmospheric physicist at the non-profit Aerospace Corp as saying, “Hydrogen fuel rocket engines are the Ferraris of rocket engines.” “They are extremely complicated, difficult to manufacture, and challenging to utilise. However, their performance is outstanding,” he continued.
