Science News Roundup: Relativity signs lease with NASA; vertical farming seeds

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Rocket firm Relativity signs lease with NASA for new robotic 3D printing factory

Relativity Space, a venture-backed rocket maker, said on Tuesday it will lease space from NASA in Mississippi, where its gigantic 3D printers will produce low-cost rockets to be used to launch small-payload satellites into orbit. The lease, for 220,000 square feet (20,000 square meters) at NASA's Stennis Space Center rocket-testing facility, is the latest step for the Los Angeles-based company in its ultimate mission to 3D print rockets on Mars, a goal Relativity's chief executive, Tim Ellis, says is a prerequisite for space colonization.

Ocado sows $22 million 'vertical farming' seed to diversify

Britain's Ocado is ploughing 17 million pounds ($22 million) into the emerging "vertical farming" industry, further diversifying the online grocer and technology group's business. Vertical farming involves producing food indoors, with crops grown on a series of stacked levels in a controlled environment.