NASA and Relativity Space Form Partnership for Mars Science Mission
NASA has announced a new public-private partnership with Relativity Space to advance Mars science. Under this agreement, NASA will provide the Aeolus atmospheric-science instrument payload suite, while Relativity Space will supply the necessary spacecraft, rocket, and cruise operations for its delivery to Mars. Scheduled for a 2028 launch, this collaboration aims to accelerate scientific discovery, increase mission frequency, and strengthen the foundational knowledge required for future human exploration of the Red Planet.
NASA recently announced a public-private partnership with Relativity Space to further Mars science initiatives. The collaboration was unveiled by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at an event held at Relativity Space on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. This strategic alliance combines NASA's established scientific leadership with commercial innovation, intending to leverage private investment and development capabilities.
As part of the partnership, NASA will contribute the Aeolus atmospheric-science instrument payload suite. In turn, Relativity Space will be responsible for providing the spacecraft, rocket, and cruise operations essential for delivering these instruments to Mars. This model seeks to accelerate scientific discovery, enhance mission cadence, and reinforce the groundwork for future human missions to Mars.
Administrator Isaacman emphasized that public-private partnerships act as a "force multiplier for science." He noted that pairing NASA’s world-class instruments with commercial innovation and investment can yield more science more frequently, thereby reducing the time needed to acquire critical data for researchers preparing for human missions to Mars.
The Aeolus suite is scheduled for launch in 2028. Its primary objective is to provide the first integrated, daily, and global view of Martian winds, temperatures, dust, and clouds. By improving atmospheric models, Aeolus aims to generate detailed environmental knowledge vital for reducing risks associated with future crewed and uncrewed landings. The measurements are expected to directly inform entry, descent, and landing systems, supporting safer and more predictable mission planning for astronauts.
Aeolus continues a legacy of over two decades of NASA missions dedicated to studying the Martian atmosphere, including orbiters such as MAVEN, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and Mars Odyssey. Researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will design, build, and integrate the payload, while Relativity Space will manage the spacecraft development and mission operations.
Dr. Eugene Tu, center director at NASA Ames, stated that Aeolus exemplifies how innovative collaboration can accelerate scientific progress and establish the necessary foundation for eventually landing humans on Mars.
The Aeolus payload includes four NASA-built instruments: the Doppler Wind and Temperature Sounder (DWTS-Ozone), designed to measure wind and temperature profiles; the Thermal Limb Sounder (TLS), which provides vertical temperature profiles and observations of dust and water-ice clouds; the Surface Radiometric Sensor Package (SuRSeP), intended for measuring surface energy balance and cloud properties; and the Wide-Field Context Camera (WFCC), which captures daily global images of atmospheric activity. These instruments involve collaborations with GATS and Xiomas Technologies for certain components.
NASA will support the operations of the science instruments for at least one Martian year, with Relativity Space maintaining the spacecraft. Additionally, NASA will develop the data-processing pipeline to convert raw measurements into high-quality data products for broader scientific use. This collaborative endeavor is supported under NASA’s first six-year reimbursable Space Act Agreement, ensuring a stable framework for sustained partnership and mission continuity.
(Source: NASA Breaking News)
