Fabrication
.jpg "Firefly carbon fiber rocket. Public domain. Wikimedia Commons")
3D Printed Rockets
Terran 1, by Relativity Space made history as the first 3D-printed rocket to reach space. This inaugural mission (March 22, 2023), known as "Good Luck, Have Fun", demonstrated that complex, large-scale 3D-printed structures can perform reliably under intense launch conditions. Standing 110 feet tall and 7.5 feet in diameter, Terran 1 is the largest 3D-printed object ever built and the first of its kind to attempt reaching orbit. About 85% of its mass was produced through additive manufacturing, featuring nine Aeon 1 engines on the first stage and a single vacuum-optimized Aeon Vac on the second. It ran on liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas, chosen for their efficiency and potential to support reusable launch systems1.
Carbon Fiber Rockets
On October 1, 2023, Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket became the largest carbon-fiber rocket to reach space, launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base2. Utilizing carbon fiber composites offers significant advantages in aerospace applications, including a superior strength-to-weight ratio, which allows for heavier payloads and improved fuel efficiency. Additionally, carbon fiber's resistance to corrosion and fatigue enhances the durability and longevity of aerospace components3.