As a 93-acre former Boeing C-17 manufacturing plant in Long Beach, the new Relativity headquarters, designed in collaboration with Gensler, is one of the largest headquarters in the private space industry.
The headquarters will have capacity for 2,000+ employees, metallurgical laboratory, DMLS printers, mission control center, as well as dozens of the company’s proprietary Stargate 3D printers, the largest metal 3D printers in the world. With software changes, Relativity’s Stargate printers are capable of printing both Terran 1, the world’s first entirely 3D printed launch vehicle and its fully reusable, entirely 3D printed rocket, Terran R.
The announcement builds on the company’s continued momentum, including its reveal of Terran R, the closing of its $650m Series E fundraise, and an unprecedented year of job creation. Relativity now employs 450+ people, growing 300% within the last year, across its Long Beach, Vandenberg, Seattle, Washington D.C., Stennis, and Cape Canaveral locations. The company is on track to hire 200+ additional employees by the end of the year.
With its expansion, Relativity is doubling down on its Factory of the Future, which is centred on Stargate, the world’s largest 3D printer that the company created in-house. Through collaboration between humans and machines, Relativity’s Factory of the Future fuses 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and autonomous robotics. Disrupting 60 years of aerospace, Relativity’s radically simplified supply chain enables the company to print its rockets with 100x fewer parts in less than 60 days.
Due to its novel use of automation, Relativity’s Factory of the Future was operational during Covid-19, working safely with key Stargate operators, keeping the company on track for the launch of Terran 1 later this year. Incorporating AI-driven controls, Relativity’s Stargate 3D printers continuously optimises production, resulting in exponentially compounded quality and time improvements, lower costs, and product designs not possible in traditional aerospace manufacturing.
“Relativity is at the forefront of an inevitable shift to software-driven manufacturing, and the opportunity to reimagine this facility for the future of aerospace is incredibly exciting,” said Tim Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Relativity. “Securing this space for Relativity Headquarters, which is now one of the largest facilities in private space, right here in Long Beach, is key for scaling out our Terran R program, while also continuing to tap into the unparalleled talent here to join us on our mission.”
As part of Long Beach City Council’s recently passed Globemaster Corridor Specific Plan, the new Relativity headquarters is part of 437 acres of coveted land west of Long Beach Airport that will be transformed into a modern business district, commencing over the coming weeks with move in planned for January 2022.
The company’s existing Long Beach facility will continue to be utilized for Terran 1 production.