Australia’s First Orbital Rocket Fails Shortly After Launch
▼ Summary
– Australia’s first homegrown rocket, the Eris, failed shortly after liftoff due to back-to-back engine failures, ending its orbital attempt.
– The 82-foot-tall rocket launched from Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland but stalled and crashed after losing power from two engines.
– No injuries or significant environmental damage were reported, and the launch pad appeared undamaged after the crash.
– Gilmour Space’s CEO, Adam Gilmour, expected the test flight to last only seconds and considered the 14-second flight a partial success.
– The Eris rocket is a three-stage vehicle designed to carry payloads up to 670 pounds into low-Earth orbit, using hybrid and kerosene-based engines.
Australia’s ambitious bid to enter the orbital launch club ended abruptly when its first domestically developed rocket suffered multiple engine failures seconds after liftoff. The 25-meter Eris vehicle, built by private firm Gilmour Space, barely cleared the pad before two of its four main engines cut out, causing the rocket to stall and crash in a nearby field.
The launch attempt occurred at 8:35 AM local time from Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland, marking a historic moment for Australia’s space industry. Despite the dramatic failure, no injuries or significant environmental damage were reported. A thick column of smoke rose over the remote coastal site, visible for miles as emergency teams secured the area.
Adam Gilmour, the company’s CEO, remained optimistic despite the setback. Speaking shortly after the incident, he admitted that reaching orbit on the first attempt was never the expectation. “Best case, I thought we might get 40 seconds of flight,” he said. “Fourteen seconds still counts as progress, we cleared the tower and tested Stage 1.”
Footage shared by Gilmour Space showed the rocket ascending briefly before losing thrust and tumbling back to Earth. The three-stage Eris was designed to carry payloads up to 305 kilograms into low-Earth orbit, powered by hybrid Sirius engines on its first two stages and a kerosene-fueled Phoenix engine for the final boost.
While the mission fell short, the attempt demonstrated Australia’s growing capabilities in space technology. Gilmour Space emphasized that data from the brief flight would help refine future launches, with another test expected in the coming months. The company remains committed to establishing Australia as a competitive player in the global small satellite launch market.
(Source: Ars Technica)
