Overview
- Gilmour Space’s Eris rocket lifted off on July 30 from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, marking Australia’s first homegrown orbital-class launch attempt in over five decades.
- The 23-second engine burn and 14-second flight ended in a crash shortly after liftoff, but all four hybrid-propellant engines ignited successfully.
- No injuries or damage to the launch infrastructure were reported, as Gilmour Space retrieved critical telemetry and performance data.
- The Bowen facility represents Australia’s first licensed commercial orbital launch site and benefits from over A$57 million in federal grants, including A$5 million earmarked for the Eris vehicle.
- A second Eris rocket is already in production, with TestFlight 2 scheduled in the coming months to build on lessons learned from this mission.