“Terran 1”, 85 percent of the rocket’s mass of the 3D printer’s core, did not reach the expected height after launch.
The world’s first 3D printer rocket did not enter the planned plane of Earth’s orbit on its first test flight. The “Terran 1” took off from the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday (local time), but did not reach the expected height. There was an “anomaly” on the second part of the flight, according to a live feed distributed by the operating company Relativity Space.
After its launch, “Terran 1” was supposed to reach low Earth orbit in eight minutes. That didn’t work. The purpose of the first test flight was actually to collect data and show that a 3D-printed rocket can withstand launch and travel pressures.
85% of the rocket’s mass was 3D-printed from metal alloys. According to Californian space startup Relativity Space, “Terran 1” is the largest object ever produced with a 3D printer.
(APA/DPA)