BOWEN, Australia: Australia’s first domestically built rocket, the Eris, crashed just 14 seconds after lift-off on Wednesday during its maiden orbital test flight.
Developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, the Eris was designed to carry small satellites into orbit and lifted off from a spaceport near Bowen in Queensland.
Video footage from local news outlets showed the 23-meter (75-foot) rocket clearing the launch tower before disappearing from view, with smoke billowing from the site. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Despite the crash, Gilmour Space Technologies celebrated the launch as a success, noting that all four hybrid-propelled engines ignited.
The flight included 23 seconds of engine burn and 14 seconds of flight time.
The company had previously postponed launches in May and earlier this month due to technical difficulties and adverse weather.
CEO Adam Gilmour expressed satisfaction that the rocket got off the launchpad, stating on LinkedIn, “Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this.”
He emphasised that it is “almost unheard of” for a private company to achieve a successful launch to orbit on its first attempt.
The company had set a benchmark for success, indicating that simply leaving the ground would be a significant achievement. The launch site infrastructure was reported to be intact following the event.
Local Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins called the launch a “huge achievement,” highlighting its importance in paving the way for a future commercial space industry in the region.
Gilmour Space Technologies has received private funding and recently secured a AU$ 5 million (approximately $3.2 million) grant from the Australian federal government for the development of the Eris rocket.
This follows an earlier AU$52 million grant agreement aimed at advancing Australia’s space technology sector.
Historically, while Australia has hosted hundreds of suborbital launches, only two successful orbital launches have occurred prior to this test, making the Eris launch the first orbital attempt from Australia in over 50 years.
