Written by staff writer.
Gilmour Space’s maiden rocket launch from its greenfields Bowen Orbital Spaceport site will occur as soon as March if it secures final approval from the Australian Space Agency (ASA).
A successful launch of the homegrown three-stage Eris rocket propelled by Gilmour’s proprietary hybrid rocket engine will be a major boost for the Australian space sector, which has spent much of the past year in the doldrums.
Eris will make history because it will be the first Australian-made rocket launched into space from Australia. Eris will provide the country with sovereign satellite launch capabilities, delivering 300-kilogram plus commercial payloads into low Earth orbit.
The final preparations are complete, and all approvals secured barring final launch approval from the ASA. The Australian government agency told MySecurityMedia that any launch from Australian soil requires a permit per the Space (Launches and Returns) Act (2018).
“Details of applications for launch permits are commercial-in-confidence,” a spokesperson said. “However, permits for a space launch are only issued once all criteria in the legislation are demonstrably satisfied.”
But the ASA also says that launching an Australian-designed and built rocket will turbocharge the country’s sovereign launch capability and drive further growth across the space sector and the broader economy.
“(The) space launch will help open the full value chain of space activities for Australia, from research and development to advanced manufacturing, and will ultimately benefit all Australians through new technologies that improve life on Earth,” the spokesperson said.
Dr Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist and cosmologist at Canberra’s Australian National University, says a sovereign capability means more options for Australian businesses looking to deploy satellites or other payloads into space and offers a domestic alternative to SpaceX.
“Gilmour’s launch is both inspirational and tangible in terms of what it means for the Australian space community,” he said. “The space sector here is small, and we all know each other and want each other to succeed, so it’s great to see someone make it and show how it’s done.”
US-born Tucker has become a big supporter of Australia’s space sector and its attempts to carve out a role on the global stage. He says the upcoming Gilmour launch signals to the entire space sector that Australia isn’t just a niche player but can do many things.
“Ideally, you want Australia to be able to do every part of space, from concept, design, use, build, launch, operations, communications, and end use,” he said, adding that while commercial Australia-based space companies have strengths in some parts of the space sector, Gilmour has stepped up to provide one of the critical remaining pieces.
Final work completing the Spaceport occurred in December, and full launch rehearsals are scheduled throughout January, weather permitting. Eris was manufactured at the Gold Coast, and its stages trucked to Bowen for reassembly. Gilmour will continue testing and rehearsing pending the ASA giving the final clearance.
“There are not many countries in the world that can do space launches, “ says Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour. “But if we succeed, we’ll be one of them.”
