Australia’s First Attempt at Home-Made Rocket Launch Ends in Failure
Australia’s inaugural attempt to launch a home-made rocket into orbit ended in disappointment on Wednesday, as the Eris vehicle crashed just 14 seconds after take-off from a spaceport near Bowen, Queensland.
The 23-meter rocket briefly gained altitude and thrust but subsequently plummeted back to the ground, engulfed in a plume of smoke shortly after launch. “All four hybrid-propelled engines ignited, and the maiden flight included 23 seconds of engine burn time and 14 seconds of flight,” a spokesperson for Gilmour Space Technologies stated on Facebook.
Despite the mishap, Gilmour Space Technologies, the company behind the launch, characterized the event as a significant milestone in Australia’s space aspirations. “I would have liked more flight time but happy with this,” said CEO Adam Gilmour on LinkedIn. Previously, Gilmour remarked that success on a first attempt at an orbital launch is "almost unheard of" for a private company.
The company aimed to utilize the Eris rocket to carry small satellites into orbit, marking the first time an Australian-designed and built orbital rocket lifted off domestically. The infrastructure at the launch site remains intact, according to the firm.
Mayor Ry Collins of the Whitsunday Regional Council praised the endeavor as a “huge achievement,” emphasizing its importance as a foundational step toward developing a commercial space industry in the region. "This is an important first step towards the giant leap of a future commercial space industry right here in our region," Collins stated on Facebook.
Gilmour Space Technologies is supported by private investors and recently secured a 5 million Australian dollar grant from the federal government for the Eris project, following a larger 52 million dollar agreement aimed at bolstering Australia’s space technology capabilities.
Australia has witnessed hundreds of suborbital launches, but only two successful orbital launches have occurred from its territory historically. This attempt marked the first orbital effort in over 50 years. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
