Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s Relativity Space selected for upcoming NASA Mars orbiter mission

Ex-Google CEO’s Relativity Space selected for upcoming NASA Mars orbiter mission This partnership marks the latest foray into space exploration for Relativity Space, which aims to build cheap, reusable rockets NASA is teaming up with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s Relativity Space to expand its Mars monitoring capabilities. The space agency announced on Wednesday that the private space company will provide the spacecraft and rocket that will place NASA’s Aeolus probe into orbit around Mars, with a launch currently targeted for sometime in 2028. The probe, which has been in the works since as early as 2017, will use four NASA-built instruments to study temperature, dust, wind and cloud conditions on the Red Planet. The goal of the mission is to gather data that could one day help reduce risk to landings on Mars—both crewed and uncrewed. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing . By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Relativity Space was founded in 2016, and quickly made waves with its plans to 3D-print rocket components . While the company’s rockets have not yet reached orbit, that’s due to change sometime in late 2026, when Relativity Space’s two-stage, reusable Terran R is set to make its debut voyage. Schmidt took over as CEO of the company in March 2025. Under the terms of the new partnership, NASA will support the scientific instruments for at least one Mars year (about 1.88 Earth years), and Relativity Space will maintain the spacecraft itself.