The Terran R is a medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket under development by Relativity Space, designed to address the growing demand for dedicated satellite launches. Standing 284 feet (86.6 meters) tall with a 17.7-foot (5.4-meter) diameter and payload fairing, it is capable of carrying payloads to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). The rocket is scheduled to begin launching from Launch Complex 16 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2026.

Terran R can carry up to 23,500 kilograms to LEO with first stage recovery, or 33,500 kilograms in an expendable configuration. It can also deliver 5,500 kilograms to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) with stage recovery.

The first stage is designed for rapid reuse, featuring a high angle of attack reentry profile to minimize propellant use, aerodynamic shaping for stability and control, a passively actuated landing leg system, and an aft heat shield for repeat flights. Landings are planned on an ocean-based platform, with post-flight inspection, refurbishment, and recertification before reuse.

The rocket is powered by Aeon R engines, which are produced using additive manufacturing techniques. The first stage uses 13 Aeon R sea-level engines, each generating 269,000 pounds of thrust, for a total liftoff thrust of 3,497,000 pounds. The second stage is equipped with a single Aeon Vac engine optimized for vacuum operation, producing 323,000 pounds of thrust. Both stages operate on subcooled liquid oxygen and subcooled methane, using a high-pressure gas generator cycle.

Development of the Aeon R engine has included over 2,000 component and subsystem tests, progressing from initial mission duty cycle validation to exceeding the service life runtime required for reuse.

Relativity Space reports more than $2.9 billion in pre-sold launch service agreements with government and commercial customers, including Intelsat, Impulse, NASA, Eutelsat, and the U.S. Space Force. The vehicle is designed to support a wide range of missions, from constellation deployments to single satellite launches and multi-customer rideshares.

Courtesy of Relativity Space.

Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) is a historic launch pad located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It was originally built in the late 1950s as part of the U.S. Air Force’s missile testing and space launch facilities. The pad was one of several in the Titan missile row and was designed to support testing of ballistic missiles before they were adapted for space launch use.

The complex supported its first launch in December 1959 with a Titan I missile. Over the next several years, LC-16 hosted Titan I and Titan II test flights, playing a role in the development of America’s intercontinental ballistic missile program. After its Titan role, the pad was converted for use with other missile systems, including the Pershing I and Pershing II, which were launched from LC-16 between the 1960s and 1980s as part of the U.S. Army’s medium-range missile development and testing.

Following the Pershing program, the site was deactivated in the late 1980s and remained dormant for decades. In 2017, aerospace company Relativity Space secured rights to the pad and began modifying it to host launches of its rockets, first the Terran 1 and later the larger Terran R. LC-16’s revival represents a transition from its Cold War missile testing origins to supporting modern commercial orbital launches.

Today, LC-16 remains an active launch pad under the management of Relativity Space. It is one of several historic launch sites at Cape Canaveral that have been repurposed for new commercial spaceflight activity, preserving its legacy while supporting the next generation of reusable rockets.