Ramona Adams
NASA‘s Stennis Space Center and launch vehicle provider Relativity have entered an agreement that authorizes the startup to use one of Stennis’ test stands exclusively, Space News reported Wednesday.
The Commercial Space Launch Act agreement grants the exclusive use of the E-4 Test Complex to Relativity for 20 years.
The complex features four cells for engine tests and 15,000 square feet of office space, with the option to expand the use of the facility from about 25 acres to 250 acres.
The new agreement will help Relativity expand its test efforts, which include the qualification and acceptance tests of up to 36 of the company’s Terran small launch vehicles.
Relativity is under a separate Space Act agreement with Stennis for the use of the center’s E-3 test stand, which has supported 85 tests of the firm’s Aeon 1 engine to date.
Tim Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Relativity, said the startup will continue using E-3 while it builds up E-4, then use both facilities in parallel in the future.
Relativity’s Terran rocket will work to carry up to 2,755 pounds of payload at $10 million per launch.
