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Gold Coast-headquartered Gilmour Space Technologies has achieved a milestone that was 13 years in the making after successfully completing its maiden test launch of Australia's first locally designed and built orbital rocket.
The 23-meter, 30-tonne Eris rocket, powered by new hybrid propulsion technology, successfully lifted off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland and achieved approximately 14 seconds of flight.
The result follows delays of the inaugural launch by the group, first in March due to a pre-launch anomaly, and again in June due to weather challenges.
"Space is hard," says Gilmour Space CEO and co-founder Adam Gilmour. "SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit. We've learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production."
"Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program. This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology, and our spaceport - and it proved that much of what we've built work.
"Only six nations currently launch to orbit regularly - and just a handful are developing sovereign capability to join them. We've now taken a big step toward joining that group."
The three-stage orbital launch vehicle Eris was designed to carry small satellites to orbit. A report from Gartner released today forecasts end-user spending on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications services alone will reach $664 million in Australia in 2025, up from an expected 6.6 per cent this year.
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Eris was developed almost entirely in-house - including propulsion, structures, avionics, software, and the spaceport itself - on a fraction of the budget available to most global launch companies.
"Clearing the tower was a major milestone for our team. It showed that Australia can design, build, and launch rockets right here at home," says Gilmour.
As part of this historic campaign, Gilmour Space worked closely with many stakeholders and regulators - including the Australian Space Agency, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Air Services Australia, Maritime authorities, and others - to help shape and navigate the rules needed to safely launch rockets from Australia for the first time.
Initial data confirms that key systems performed well until the anomaly, including ignition, liftoff, first-stage thrust, range tracking and telemetry. The team is now reviewing flight data to understand the cause of the anomaly that led to early termination, with lessons already being applied to the next vehicle, which is in production.
Having raised $55 million in a Series D round in early 2024 that valued Gilmour Space at $605 million, the latest result puts the company one step closer to its goal of offering low-cost, responsive launch services for small satellites globally.
The TestFlight 1 mission represents the culmination of years of effort by a team of more than 200 people, more than 500 Australian suppliers, and strong support from government and industry.
"Every test, especially the first, is a learning opportunity," adds Gilmour. "Congratulations to our talented team for getting us this far. Onward to TestFlight 2."
Adam Gilmour's fellow co-founder and brother James Gilmour is a four-time winner of the Technology category at the Gold Coast Young Entrepreneur Awards, where he has also won the Trailblazer award twice. Nominations for the initiative, which is national as part of the broader Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards, opened this month.
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