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Australian-made rocket crashes down to Earth seconds after launch in Queensland

Gilmour Space’s first orbital test flight ends abruptly after liftoff.
Katharina LoescheBy Katharina Loesche

Australian-built rocket crashes moments after take-off

Australian-made rocket crashes down to Earth seconds after launch in Queensland

Gilmour Space’s first orbital test flight ends abruptly after liftoff.
Katharina LoescheBy Katharina Loesche

In a historic first for Australia’s space ambitions, Gilmour Space Technologies has launched the country’s first domestically designed and built orbital rocket from the newly operational Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland.

But Test Flight 1 of the 23m-tall Eris rocket ended just 14 seconds after liftoff, when the spacecraft crashed back to Earth on Wednesday morning.

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The footage shows the rocket lifting off and gaining altitude before veering slightly to the right.

It remained upright throughout the brief flight, before descending and hitting the ground vertically. Moments later, a fireball erupts.

Despite the short-lived flight, the company has declared the mission a partial success.

“Initial data confirms that key systems performed well until the anomaly, including ignition, liftoff, first-stage thrust, range tracking and telemetry,” Gilmour Space said.

The 23m, 30-tonne Eris rocket, powered by a proprietary hybrid propulsion system, was the centerpiece of Australia’s first integrated attempt to launch an orbital-class rocket built entirely in-country.

It also marked the first launch from a licensed commercial orbital spaceport on Australian soil, which was built on a former cow paddock.

Gilmour Space’s first orbital test flight ends abruptly after liftoff.
Gilmour Space’s first orbital test flight ends abruptly after liftoff. Credit: 7NEWS
Despite the short-lived flight, the company has declared the mission a partial success.
Despite the short-lived flight, the company has declared the mission a partial success. Credit: Gilmour Space Technology

Gilmour Space emphasised the achievement of getting the rocket off the pad.

“Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program,” Gilmour Space Technologies said.

“This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology, and our spaceport — and it proved that much of what we’ve built works.”

There were no injuries or environmental damage reported from the crash.

The company is now reviewing flight data to understand the anomaly leading to the early termination.

Technical failure, strategic win?

Initial test flights are rarely expected to succeed fully, particularly for new entrants.

International companies such as SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and others also experienced multiple failed or partial test flights before achieving orbital success.

“Space is hard,” Gilmour Space Technologies CEO Adam Gilmour said.

“SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit.

“We’ve learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production.”

Gilmour Space said a new Eris rocket is already in production, with plans to conduct a follow-up mission, TestFlight 2, within the coming months. 
Gilmour Space said a new Eris rocket is already in production, with plans to conduct a follow-up mission, TestFlight 2, within the coming months.  Credit: Gilmour Space Technology

Still, the brevity of the Eris flight raises questions about whether Gilmour’s attempt can be deemed a success or rather a learning milestone on the path to actual launch capability.

“Only six nations currently launch to orbit regularly — and just a handful are developing sovereign capability to join them,” Gilmour said.

“We’ve now taken a big step toward joining that group.”

What comes next

Gilmour Space Tehcnologies said a new Eris rocket is already in production, with plans to conduct a follow-up mission, TestFlight 2, within months.

The project has been years in the making, involving a team of more than 200 staff and contributions from more than 500 Australian suppliers.

Brothers Adam and James Gilmour co-founded the company in 2013, starting with just a dozen people.

“Every test, especially the first, is a learning opportunity,” Gilmour said.

“Congratulations to our talented team for getting us this far.

“Onward to TestFlight 2.”

The rocket is designed to carry small satellites into orbit, a major leap for Australia’s space industry and a project more than a decade in the making.

The launch was previously postponed due to multiple technical issues.

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