“By pairing Nasa’s world-class instruments with commercial innovation and investment, we can deliver more science, more often, and reduce the time it takes to get essential data into the hands of researchers preparing for future human missions to Mars,” Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement.

The Aeolus mission is scheduled to launch in 2028, an aggressive timeline that will require Relativity Space to simultaneously complete development of its next-generation Terran R rocket and the spacecraft itself. Neither Nasa nor Relativity disclosed the financial value of the contract.

The mission carries significant risk. Relativity has yet to reach orbit successfully. Its first rocket, Terran 1, launched in 2023 but failed during flight. The company subsequently shifted its focus to the much larger Terran R rocket, which remains under development.

Founded in 2015 by former SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers, Relativity initially gained attention for its use of large-scale 3D printing technology to manufacture rocket components. However, funding challenges emerged as development costs mounted.

That changed in 2025 when Schmidt acquired a majority stake in the company and assumed the role of chief executive. Since then, he has largely remained quiet about his long-term plans, though he has publicly expressed interest in orbital data centres and advanced space-based infrastructure.

The Nasa contract could prove pivotal for both Schmidt and Relativity. If Aeolus launches on schedule and reaches Mars, it could become the first privately developed Mars mission to successfully arrive at the planet.

Long-running rivalry

That possibility adds an interesting twist to the long-running rivalry between Schmidt and Elon Musk, who have publicly disagreed on several technology issues, particularly around Artificial Intelligence safety.

Musk has repeatedly described Mars colonisation as SpaceX’s ultimate goal, but the company has yet to send a dedicated mission to the planet. While SpaceX’s Starship programme is intended to make Mars missions possible, no Starship spacecraft has yet reached the Red Planet.

For Nasa, Aeolus represents another step toward using commercial partnerships to accelerate exploration. For Relativity, it offers a chance to transform from a struggling rocket startup into a major player in deep-space exploration. And for Schmidt, it could provide an unexpected opportunity to beat SpaceX to one of the most coveted destinations in the solar system.