Eris (launch vehicle)

History

2025: Fall 14 seconds after launch

The first Australian launch vehicle Eris, developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, crashed 14 seconds after launching from a cosmodrome near Bowen, Queensland. The twenty-three-meter rocket was designed to put small satellites into orbit and became the first Australian-made orbital carrier launched from the country. This became known on July 29, 2025.

According to Space, the published videos show how the rocket, flying over the launch tower, hung in the air and disappeared from sight. Plumes of smoke rose above the launch site after the fall of the device.

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Фото: Gilmour Space Technologies

Despite the setback, Gilmour Space Technologies declared the launch a success in a statement posted on social media. Representatives of the company said that all four hybrid engines worked correctly, and the first flight included 23 seconds of the engine system.

The company's CEO, Adam Gilmore, stressed in a statement that he was pleased with the very fact of the rocket launch. He noted that he would like to see a longer flight, but is pleased with the result achieved.

In February 2025, Gilmore said that for a private rocket company, a successful launch into orbit on the first attempt is an "almost unheard of" event. Earlier, the company said it would consider the launch a success if the rocket came off the ground.

The company had planned previous rocket launches in May and early July 2025, but cancelled them due to technical issues and adverse weather conditions. The launchpad infrastructure remained intact after the failed launch.

The mayor of Whitsunday Local Regional Council, Rye Collins, said the launch was a "huge achievement," even though the device did not enter orbit. He called it an important first step towards the development of the commercial space industry in the region.^[1]

Notes