Australia’s Space Program Finally Gets Off The Pad, But Only Barely

Why the first locally made rocket to launch in Australia represents a pivotal moment for the local space industry

In just 14 seconds, Gilmour Space Technologies’s Eris rocket made history. The company’s CEO tells create what went right and what went wrong with the launch.It was a clear North Queensland day, about 8:35 a.m., on Wednesday 30 July, and the team of engineers at Gilmour Space Technologies was making history.At that moment, the first orbital launch vehicle to be designed and built in Australia took off from Bowen Orbital Spaceport. As steam spill…

Australia’s Space Program Finally Gets Off The Pad, But Only Barely

Australia is known for great beaches, top-tier coffee, and a laidback approach to life that really doesn’t square with all the rules and regulations that exist Down Under. What it isn’t known for is being a spacefaring nation. As it stands, a startup called Gilmour Space has been making great efforts to give Australia the orbital launch capability it’s never had. After numerous hurdles and delays, the company finally got their rocket off the lau…