Relative space SpaceX is increasing its investment in NASA’s Stennis Space Center, as the company announced today that it will lease a historic first-stage test stand to advance development of the Terran R launch vehicle.
Under the new agreement, Relativity will lease the A-2 test stand from NASA for seven years, at a price of $2.76 million. The company has the option to renew the lease for up to an additional 10 years. The new investment brings Relativity’s total footprint in the Mississippi-based Stennis area to more than 300 acres.
Like many of the other test stands at Stennis, the A-2 platform was originally built in the 1960s to test Saturn V rocket engines. Since 1976, NASA has used the platform to test the main engines of the Space Shuttle. Most recently, the space agency tested J-2X rocket engines on the pad. This is the first time the platform has been used by a commercial airline.
“The A-2 test platform has a rich history for NASA and NASA Stennis,” Rick Gilbrish, NASA Stennis Administrator, said in a statement. It has been the site of many important tests, including the Apollo Saturn S-II stage, the space shuttle main engine, and the Constellation J-2X engine test programs. It is exciting to see this historic structure continue to provide value for money after nearly 60 years.
The pavilion has been unused for nearly a decade, so Relativity will allocate an undisclosed amount of capital to upgrade and adapt the infrastructure. For example, the test stand is currently only configured to support up to 650,000 pounds of thrust. After the Relativity upgrades, the rack will be able to support more than 3.3 million pounds of thrust.
Eventually, the company plans to conduct advanced first-stage testing of the Terran R medium-to-heavy lift missile. Relativity said in a statement that the new platform will enable the company to increase testing frequency and shorten time to market.
Relativity has the largest commercial presence in Stennis, holding further 10-year exclusive use agreements for the E2 and E4 engine test complexes. The company is currently building facilities it calls the R Complex, which will support the testing of Terran R vehicles and engines, and will include additional engine test stands and an extensive Phase II test stand.
The company plans to eventually invest $267 million in its Stennis facilities by 2027. Relativity’s goal is to debut the Terran R in 2026.