The Verge Wire · Story 1

NASA selects Eric Schmidt’s rocket company for a 2028 mission to Mars

NASA has selected Relativity Space, a rocket company led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, to launch its Aeolus mission to Mars in 2028. The mission will deploy a payload designed to collect data on the Martian atmosphere.

This partnership marks a significant shift toward involving private-sector leadership in deep-space exploration, potentially accelerating timelines for Mars missions. The selection of a company with Schmidt's high-profile background also raises questions about how tech industry experience translates to spaceflight.

Key details

• Relativity Space is run by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
• The mission, named Aeolus, is scheduled for a 2028 launch to Mars.
• NASA selected the company to launch the payload that will gather data on the Martian atmosphere.
• The announcement was made by NASA and reported by The Verge on June 19, 2026.

Discussion angles

• Some commenters questioned whether Schmidt's tech background is a sufficient qualification for leading a Mars mission, given the different engineering challenges of spaceflight.
• Others expressed skepticism about the 2028 timeline, noting that past private Mars missions have faced significant delays and cost overruns.
• A recurring theme in the discussion was whether the Aeolus mission's atmospheric data goals are ambitious enough compared to other proposed Mars exploration projects.
• Several commenters debated the implications of NASA outsourcing launch services to a company with a high-profile CEO, contrasting it with traditional government-led space programs.
• There was notable discussion about the potential for Relativity Space's 3D-printing rocket technology to reduce costs and improve reliability for deep-space missions.