NASA selects Eric Schmidt's Relativity Space for Mars missions.

      NASA is collaborating with Relativity Space, the rocket company led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, to conduct a scientific mission to Mars. Announced on June 17, the mission is named Aeolus, marking the inaugural flight in Relativity’s new Interplanetary Sciences Program. The company is responsible for constructing the spacecraft, providing its Terran R rocket, and transporting the scientific payloads to the Red Planet, with a planned launch in 2028.

      This agreement follows a familiar model: a public agency provides the science, while a private company delivers cost-effective infrastructure, similar to NASA's previous arrangements with SpaceX for cargo delivery to the space station and Firefly’s Moon landing efforts.

      The mission's scientific goals are significant. Aeolus will carry an atmospheric instrument suite developed by NASA’s Ames center, along with a radar sounder designed to map shallow subsurface ice and geology. NASA anticipates gaining the first daily, global insights into Martian winds, temperatures, dust, and cloud patterns, which will help enhance the safety of future landings, whether crewed or uncrewed.

      The risk lies in NASA's choice of collaborator, as Relativity has yet to achieve an orbital flight. Founded in 2015 by two ex-SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers with the concept of 3D-printing rockets, the company's initial vehicle, Terran-1, encountered a mid-flight failure in 2023. Subsequently, it shifted focus to a larger rocket, the Terran R, but faced financial challenges.

      Schmidt intervened in 2025 by acquiring a majority stake and appointing himself as CEO. The Terran R has not yet completed a flight, and Relativity has not revealed details about the spacecraft for Aeolus. The partners have not disclosed the mission's cost.

      NASA acknowledges the inherent risks associated with commercial partnerships. Some of its startup partners have gone bankrupt, while others have experienced setbacks during landings on the Moon. "By combining NASA’s top-tier instruments with commercial creativity and investment, we can deliver more science, more frequently," stated agency administrator Jared Isaacman.

      An important detail reveals Schmidt's motivation. The 2028 mission aims to do more than just explore Mars; it will deploy what Relativity refers to as a “Relay Data Center,” which includes server-class computing and extensive storage in Mars orbit, capable of running AI models and transmitting substantial data back to Earth via optical and radio communication.

      This underscores Schmidt’s ambitious vision of establishing data centers in orbit, with the company's first interplanetary mission serving, in part, as an orbital data hub.

      Unusually, Aeolus has a philanthropic backer, with Relativity noting it is flying "for a philanthropic customer," and NASA helping to construct the atmospheric instruments. The identity of this customer remains undisclosed. Given Schmidt's ownership of Relativity and his philanthropic investment in science, this situation merits attention.

      Additionally, Relativity has pledged to make all mission-related scientific data, algorithms, and automation insights publicly accessible.

      This mission also creates an intriguing rivalry. Schmidt and Elon Musk, who has long claimed aspirations to colonize Mars, frequently debate AI safety. Despite Musk's ambitions, his company SpaceX has yet to launch a mission to the Red Planet.

      Thus, if Relativity manages to launch Aeolus on schedule—still a significant if—it could represent the first private mission to reach Mars, with Schmidt potentially besting Musk in the race to the planet. However, this prospect is contingent on a rocket that has yet to prove its capability to take flight.