NASA has selected Relativity Space, a rocket maker acquired by Eric Schmidt, to build a spacecraft for a Mars mission. The mission, dubbed Aeolus, will carry four instruments to measure and image Mars from orbit, providing daily, global views of the planet's atmosphere.
The contract is similar to those made with SpaceX and Firefly Aerospace, with NASA handling the science and the private company providing low-cost infrastructure. Relativity Space will design and build the spacecraft and finish building the rocket to carry it to space on a tight timeline.
The mission is set to launch in 2028, and if successful, could be the first private mission to reach Mars, potentially beating SpaceX to the Red Planet.
