NASA taps Relativity Space for 2028 Mars atmosphere mission
Relativity Space is set to carry NASA’s Aeolus payload to Mars under a public-private partnership aimed at improving mission planning.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
NASA has selected Relativity Space to send the agency’s Aeolus payload to Mars in 2028, according to NASA and reporting by The Verge. The mission matters because NASA says the payload is designed to collect atmospheric data that could support safer planning for future astronaut missions.
Under the public-private partnership, Relativity Space will supply the spacecraft, launch vehicle and cruise operations for the flight to Mars, NASA said. TechCrunch earlier reported the selection, according to The Verge.
Aeolus will study the Martian atmosphere with four instruments, NASA said. The agency said the payload is intended to produce a daily, planetwide view of Martian winds, temperatures, dust and clouds, combining several types of atmospheric measurements into one dataset.
What Aeolus is meant to measure
NASA said the information from Aeolus would help the agency understand conditions that affect how spacecraft arrive at Mars. The agency said the data would directly inform entry, descent and landing systems, as well as make mission planning for astronauts more predictable.
Those measurements focus on weather and atmospheric behavior that can affect vehicles entering the Martian atmosphere, NASA said. The agency did not provide additional mission hardware details in the announcement cited by The Verge beyond the four-instrument payload and Relativity Space’s role in getting it to Mars.
Relativity’s role
Relativity Space is led by Eric Schmidt, the former Google executive who became the rocket company’s chief executive in 2025, The Verge reported. Schmidt served as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, according to The Verge.
The company is known for Terran 1, which The Verge described as the world’s first 3D-printed rocket. That vehicle failed shortly after launch, The Verge reported.
Relativity’s larger Terran R rocket has not flown yet, according to The Verge. The company’s website lists Terran R as its larger rocket, and The Verge reported that its first launch is scheduled for later in 2026.
NASA’s choice places Relativity Space on a Mars-bound mission timeline before Terran R has completed its debut flight, based on The Verge’s report. NASA’s announcement described the arrangement as a public-private partnership to advance Mars science.
The agency did not say in the reported announcement whether the Aeolus mission would carry other payloads or provide a launch date beyond 2028. NASA framed the mission around atmospheric science and the practical needs of future Mars operations.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.