Relativity Terran 1 rocket  launches on demo flight

3/22/23 ~ 11:25 p.m.

Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket launches on its first flight. The 110-foot-tall, largely 3-D printed rocket - a first of its kind - also marked the first ever use of liquid natural gas (methane) by an orbital rocket in the United States (and just the second ever launch attempt by an orbital methane rocket worldwide). As a result, the flames produced were purple and blue as seen accurately in the photo below, and much dimmer in person than other rockets appear at night. The mission, which hosted no payload, saw a successful first stage burn and separation, but failed at the beginning of second-stage flight.