WASHINGTON - Relativity Space, the launch company that decided rockets were its thing and then decided Mars was also its thing, announced June 17 its Interplanetary Sciences Program, a bold initiative to make planetary science more affordable - because why should NASA have all the fun (and all the budget)?
According to a company statement, the program is “an initiative to enable radically more science per dollar by building the next generation of interplanetary capabilities that make scientific discovery more capable and accessible.” In other words, they're promising more science for less money, which is either a revolutionary breakthrough or a classic overpromise - we'll find out in 2028.
The first mission under this program is a Mars science and telecommunications orbiter, set for late 2028. It will carry an atmospheric profiling instrument suite contributed by NASA’s Ames Research Center and a radar instrument to map subsurface ice and geology. Because if you're going to Mars, you might as well check for water under the surface while you're at it.
NASA, clearly thrilled to have a partner willing to foot part of the bill, confirmed that the atmospheric suite is called Aeolus, featuring a Doppler wind and temperature sensor, thermal limb sounder, surface radiometric sensors, and a wide-field camera. NASA will support instrument operations for one Martian year and develop software to turn the data into science products - because raw data is just too messy for researchers.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement: “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.” Translation: We get to do cool science without paying for the whole rocket. Win-win.
The spacecraft will double as a communications node, offering high-bandwidth laser and radio-frequency links to Earth, plus radio comms with anything on the Martian surface. It will also provide “massive” data storage and “server-class compute” for AI models and autonomous operations - because even in space, you need to run your AI models.
Relativity didn't share technical specs like size, mass, or power, but the radar and computing requirements suggest it's going to be a hefty beast. The mission will launch on the company’s Terran R reusable launch vehicle, a rocket that has been in development for years and is still not quite ready for prime time. The company also didn't say how much it's spending, but a source familiar with the plans says an undisclosed philanthropic organization is chipping in. Because when you can't find a government to fund your Mars dreams, there's always a billionaire with a soft spot for space.
This Mars orbiter is just the first step in a grander Interplanetary Sciences Program, though Relativity hasn't revealed what future missions might look like - only that they'll “collect data throughout the solar system.” Vague, but ambitious.
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman and CEO of Relativity Space (and former Google boss), said: “Relativity’s vision is to make access to space more open, reliable and routine, advancing science and innovation beyond Earth.” The Interplanetary Sciences Program, he added, is a natural step built on Terran R, their reusable rocket designed for scale and speed to orbit. Together, these programs will expand what's possible across commercial, scientific, and national security missions - because why not throw national security into the mix?
Relativity's main focus has been launch. They built and flew the Terran 1 small rocket once in 2023, then shelved it to double down on Terran R, a medium-class vehicle with a reusable first stage. In March 2025, Schmidt joined as CEO and made a significant investment in the company. Since then, he's been quiet, and the company's communications have focused on technical progress, including shipping a Terran R second stage from Long Beach, California, to NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for testing. The first launch of Terran R from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was planned for late 2026, though industry sources expect a slip to 2027. Because of course it will slip.
Schmidt is no stranger to space philanthropy. Schmidt Sciences, co-founded with his wife Wendy, announced in January the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System, a suite of four observatories, including Lazuli, a space telescope with a primary mirror larger than Hubble, slated to launch on a Terran R as soon as 2028. So if you're keeping score, that's one Mars orbiter and one giant telescope, all waiting on the same rocket that hasn't flown yet.
Before Schmidt took over, Relativity had a different Mars plan: a lander mission with Impulse Space, announced in 2022, targeting a 2026 launch. Neither company has provided recent updates, so we'll assume that's in the rearview mirror or just on pause. Either way, Mars is clearly the destination of choice for Relativity, and they're determined to get there - eventually.