Australia’s ambitious attempt to enter the competitive global space market faced a setback on Wednesday when its first domestically built rocket, the Eris, failed to reach orbit, crashing just 14 seconds after liftoff.
The rocket, developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, was launched from a spaceport near Bowen in Queensland, marking the country’s first orbital launch attempt in over five decades.
The 23-meter-long Eris rocket, designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit, successfully cleared the launch tower, as shown in local media footage, before vanishing from view.
Moments later, smoke was seen billowing from the launch site, confirming that the rocket had crashed shortly after takeoff. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the infrastructure at the launch facility remained intact.
Despite the failure to reach orbit, Gilmour Space Technologies remained optimistic, labeling the launch a partial success. The company confirmed that all four of the rocket’s hybrid-propelled engines ignited, achieving 23 seconds of engine burn and 14 seconds of airborne flight.
Given that this was the first launch attempt for a privately developed Australian rocket, CEO Adam Gilmour praised the effort. In a LinkedIn post, he remarked, “Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this,” emphasizing that it’s “almost unheard of” for a private space company to reach orbit on its first try.
Prior to this attempt, multiple scheduled launches were postponed due to technical issues and weather-related concerns. Despite these hurdles, the Eris project had drawn widespread attention, bolstered by significant government and private sector support.
Gilmour Space recently received a AU$5 million grant from the Australian federal government and is part of a broader AU$52 million space industry initiative aimed at developing indigenous launch capabilities.
The Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor, Ry Collins, hailed the effort as a “huge achievement,” emphasizing that while the rocket failed to reach space, the mission marked a critical milestone in Australia’s journey toward establishing a commercial space industry.
Historically, Australia has hosted numerous suborbital launches, but only two successful orbital launches have occurred in the nation’s history—making Eris the first serious orbital launch attempt since the 1960s. While the immediate objective of reaching orbit was not achieved, the mission has significantly raised Australia’s profile in the burgeoning global space economy, signaling a promising start for future endeavors.
