Australia’s return to space after more than five decades ended abruptly when Gilmour Space Technologies’ Eris rocket crashed just 14 seconds after liftoff. The launch took place on July 30, 2025, at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland and marked the country’s first attempt at a space launch since 1971.
In 1971, Australia made headlines by hosting Britain’s launch of the Black Arrow rocket at the Woomera Rocket Range. Since then, while the country has remained involved in space activities, it has been working in recent years to develop its own commercial space capabilities.
The Eris rocket, standing 23 meters tall and weighing 30 tonnes, lifted off at around 8:35 am AEST powered by its Sirius hybrid propulsion system that generated over 24,000 pounds of thrust. The plan was for the rocket to separate into second and third stages to carry a test payload into orbit using the Phoenix liquid engine. Unusually, the payload was believed to be a single jar of Vegemite, aiming to make a symbolic mark in space.
However, the mission quickly went off course. Just seconds after clearing the launch pad, the rocket lost power, hovered momentarily, slid sideways, and then crashed. The entire flight lasted only about 14 seconds.
Despite the setback, Gilmour Space Technologies called the attempt a “major milestone” and confirmed that another launch is being prepared within the next six to eight months.
“Space is hard,” said Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies. “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 works.”
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