NASA has chosen Relativity Space, the rocket company led by former Google executive Eric Schmidt, to launch a mission to Mars in 2028, according to The Verge and Engadget.
The company will carry NASA's Aeolus payload, an orbiter bound for the Red Planet. The selection was made under a new agreement between the space agency and Relativity Space. According to The Verge, the deal was reported earlier by TechCrunch.
Relativity Space is best known for its work on rockets, and the partnership marks a notable vote of confidence from NASA in a company tied to one of Silicon Valley's most prominent figures. Eric Schmidt, who previously served as Google's CEO, leads the firm.
The sources here are brief, and several details remain unstated, including the specifics of the agreement's terms and the full scope of the Aeolus orbiter's scientific mission. What is clear is the headline arrangement: a NASA payload, a 2028 launch window, and a private rocket maker chosen to deliver it to Mars.
Why it matters: The deal is another sign that NASA increasingly relies on private companies—now including ventures backed by major tech figures like Schmidt—to carry out ambitious missions beyond Earth.