NASA picks Eric Schmidt's Relativity Space for a Mars mission — before the company has reached orbit

The former Google chair's rocket startup has never successfully delivered a payload to orbit. NASA just handed it a Mars contract anyway.

Written by Lena Armitage · Bureau Tech · Jun 18, 2026

A Mars contract for a company that hasn't reached orbit

NASA has selected Relativity Space for a Mars mission, according to a TechCrunch report published June 17, 2026. That would be notable for any rocket company. It is especially notable for one that has not yet successfully delivered a payload to orbit.

Relativity Space made headlines in 2023 when its Terran 1 rocket — the first rocket manufactured primarily by 3D printing — lifted off but failed to reach orbit. The company subsequently shelved Terran 1 and pivoted toward a larger vehicle, Terran R, designed to be fully reusable. That rocket has not yet flown.

Schmidt's acquisition and what it changed

Eric Schmidt, the former chief executive and executive chair of Google, acquired Relativity Space last year. Schmidt has been an active investor and acquirer in the defense and aerospace technology space, and the Relativity deal fit a pattern of bets on companies with strong technical ambitions and unresolved execution questions.

What the acquisition changed operationally — in terms of leadership, capitalization, or launch timeline — has not been fully detailed in public disclosures available at the time of this writing.

The SpaceX dynamic

The NASA selection frames Relativity as a competitor to SpaceX on Mars, which is a framing worth treating carefully. SpaceX's Starship — the vehicle Elon Musk has explicitly designed for Mars transit — has made significant progress in its test program, including successful booster catches in late 2024, though it has not yet conducted a crewed mission or a planetary trajectory test.

A race implies two parties with comparable readiness. Whether Relativity Space is in that position is not yet established by its flight record. NASA's selection may reflect a strategic interest in cultivating a second viable Mars-capable vendor — a hedge, not necessarily an equivalence judgment.

What a NASA contract does and doesn't mean

NASA contracts, particularly in early mission phases, are often study or development agreements rather than guaranteed launch slots. The specific contract type, value, and milestone structure for this award have not been detailed in the available sourcing. That matters: a contract to study a Mars mission architecture is a different thing from a contract to fly one.

Until those details are public, the most defensible read is that NASA sees enough in Relativity's roadmap to fund its continued development — not necessarily that Relativity is ready to go to Mars now.

The bottom line

This is a genuinely surprising development, and it deserves attention. A rocket company with no orbital flights on its record receiving a NASA Mars mission contract is not a typical sequence of events. Whether that reflects Schmidt-era changes at Relativity, NASA's appetite for competitive redundancy, or something else isn't yet clear from available reporting. The story is worth following closely as contract details emerge.

Key takeaways

NASA has awarded Relativity Space a contract for a Mars mission, according to TechCrunch reporting from June 17, 2026.
Relativity Space has not yet successfully reached orbit — a significant caveat when evaluating its readiness for interplanetary missions.
Eric Schmidt acquired Relativity Space last year after the company stumbled in its early launch attempts.
The contract sets up a competitive dynamic with SpaceX, which has its own Mars ambitions under the Starship program.
A NASA contract is a meaningful signal of institutional confidence, but it is not the same as demonstrated capability — the gap between the two is worth watching.

FAQ

Has Relativity Space ever successfully reached orbit?

Not as of the available reporting. Relativity's Terran 1 rocket launched in 2023 but failed to reach orbit. The company's next vehicle, Terran R, has not yet flown.

Who is Eric Schmidt, and what is his connection to Relativity Space?

Eric Schmidt is the former chief executive and executive chair of Google. He acquired Relativity Space last year after the company encountered setbacks in its early launch program.

Does this NASA contract mean Relativity Space will definitely go to Mars?

Not necessarily. NASA contracts in early mission phases often cover study or development work rather than confirmed launch commitments. The specific terms of this award have not been fully disclosed in available sourcing.

How does this affect SpaceX's Mars plans?

SpaceX has its own Mars ambitions centered on the Starship vehicle, which has made significant test progress but has not yet flown a crewed or planetary mission. NASA's selection of Relativity may reflect an interest in maintaining competitive options rather than a direct head-to-head race in the near term.

What is Terran R?

Terran R is Relativity Space's second rocket, designed to be fully reusable. It is larger than the company's first vehicle, Terran 1, which was shelved after failing to reach orbit. Terran R has not yet conducted a test flight.

Citations

NASA picks Eric Schmidt's rocket company for Mars mission, setting up a race with SpaceXNASA has selected Relativity Space, acquired by Eric Schmidt, for a Mars mission that could set up a race with SpaceX.
TechCrunch feed — Bureau research sourceSecondary sourcing context for the Relativity Space NASA contract story.
Relativity Space's Terran 1 fails to reach orbit on first launchRelativity Space stumbled on the path to orbit prior to Schmidt's acquisition, per the lead summary.