Relativity

Relativity began to revolutionize the aerospace industry in 2015. Founded by Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone, Relativity saw a unique and unparalleled opportunity to reimagine the development of space rockets using 3D printing technology. Combining 3D printing, artificial intelligence and autonomous robotics, Relativity is looking to launch humanity’s multiplanetary future.

Relativity is the first and only company of its kind to automate aerospace manufacturing.. Operating multiple production, test and launch sites across the U.S., the company provides speed and flexibility for space access. Relativity and southern Mississippi are at the forefront of an inevitable shift towards software-defined manufacturing. Relativity’s Stargate platform is the world’s first autonomous 3D printing platform. Stargate is used to produce rockets such as the Terran 1, a next-generation rocket, which is printed from raw material and ready for launch in less than 60 days.

Using Stargate and other autonomous launch services for satellite constellations, Hancock County provided the leading infrastructure and exemplary workforce necessary to support the company’s expanding operations.

“Southern Mississippi continues to play a leading role in America’s journey to space,” says Tim Ellis. “With a skilled workforce and world-class infrastructure, Hancock County is the perfect place for us to perform the wide variety of tests that are critical to develop our fully 3D printed Terran 1 orbital rocket and Aeon engines.”

Relativity first came to Mississippi from its Long Beach, California, headquarters in 2016 with the testing of rocket engines and vehicle stages at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. Originally using the E2 Complex in 2016 and the E3 Complex in 2019 as testing facilities, Relativity has since expanded to acquire a 20- year, first-of-its-kind exclusive contract with the Space Center.

The contract provides a 220,000-square-foot campus for Relativity to house one of its Stargate factories, as well as vehicles to develop, qualify and test its 3D printed rockets and engines. Additionally, the contract brings a $59 million investment to the county, as well as a total of 200 jobs – increasing the overall workforce from under a dozen in 2019.

“We are looking for those engineers and technicians that are hard workers, think outside of the box and are looking to be in a new industry, expand our opportunities and redesign the way we think about aerospace,” said Jordan Noone, CTO and co-founder of Relativity.

Southern Mississippi continues to take giant steps for mankind as the Space Center ushered in a revolutionary breakthrough this past spring. The second stage of its Terran 1 Rocket completed a full duration of hot test firing, signaling that the rocket could move forward towards launch. Relativity uses its Mississippi location to develop, qualify and test the Aeon and Terran rockets. Innovative technology used for the Terran 1 Rocket was tested for the first time at Stennis, and will be used during the rocket’s inaugural mission, which is scheduled to occur before the end of 2021.

Mississippi will continue its efforts to transform space exploration using its unrivaled infrastructure and high quality workforce, in turn bringing exciting new STEM jobs to the state.

“To be able to come back home to south Mississippi and be able to work on some revolutionary and game-changing ideas in the aerospace industry was pretty amazing,” said employee John Oliver.