NASA picks Eric Schmidt’s rocket company for Mars mission, setting up a race with SpaceX
Summary
NASA selected Relativity Space (Eric Schmidt's rocket company) to build a spacecraft for a Mars mission (Aeolus) with four instruments to measure Mars' atmosphere, launching in 2028. The contract mirrors SpaceX-style public-private partnerships, with NASA providing science and Relativity supplying low-cost infrastructure; Schmidt's leadership and Relativity's unproven status introduce risk, but potential downstream commercial uses exist.