June 2025 Company Update

As the Terran R program continues to advance, we’re highlighting some of the latest milestones across design, build, test, and launch.

Design 
Throughout June, the team completed 12 additional component-level critical design reviews (CDRs), covering a range of hardware from trays and fluids manifolds to avionics components. The flight design for the first stage engine was finalized and released, marking a significant milestone that enables flight engine production.

Build 
The team has manufactured multiple batches of flight propulsion hardware, including over 40 unique components for the first stage Aeon R engines. These include critical parts such as injectors, combustion chambers, and heat exchangers. 

In stage manufacturing, the team completed the second, third, and fourth circumferential friction stir welds, successfully joining the second stage LOX dome to the LOX barrel, and the fuel barrel to the common dome and fuel dome. This completes the stage 2 flight tank weldment – a major program milestone. We set an aggressive goal to complete a tank by June, and the team rose to the challenge to successfully achieve it. 

All remaining welds on the stage 2 downcomer have been completed, setting the stage for structural acceptance testing. Stage 1 transfer tube segments are being manufactured and inspected, ahead of upcoming welding. Additionally, development stringers have been welded using our newly commissioned horizontal friction stir welder, which will increase weld capacity and improve production flow through the factory. 

This month also saw the completion of a second stage vacuum engine build. This development engine has been shipped to NASA Stennis, where it will undergo testing on our dual-bay engine stand alongside the first stage qualification engine. Manufacturing of the stub nozzle is underway, which will be used in ground testing in place of the full-length nozzle extension.  

Test
The first stage engine qualification campaign continues to advance rapidly, recently crossing over the halfway milestone. Testing to date has successfully validated key requirements including ascent, re-entry, and landing objectives, and demonstrated performance across the full run envelope.  

In Long Beach, shear towers for the structural test stand have been installed. These fixtures are designed to apply high shear loads to critical components, enabling verification of structural performance under flight-representative conditions. Testing of the thrust structure and second stage is scheduled to begin later this year on the stand.

Additional infrastructure is also coming online. Construction is in progress on the test stand for the stage two downcomer, as well as on both static and dynamic load stands for stage separation pusher testing.

Launch
At our launch site in Cape Canaveral, installation of foundation piles for the water tower has been completed, with foundation construction set to follow. Progress continues across site infrastructure, including ongoing structural work and fabrication of critical systems such as cryogenic supply infrastructure. 

The pace of progress across the Terran R program continues to accelerate. The months ahead promise completion of even more critical milestones, and we look forward to sharing what’s next in this defining year.