Bizarre reason for rocket launch delay
An unlikely suspect has been caught red-handed during an investigation to find out what caused an electrical issue that delayed the first Australian-made rocket launch in Queensland.
Gilmour Space Technologies was due to launch its 23m Eris rocket on May 15 from a cattle paddock in Bowen, but it was aborted after an issue in the ground support system was identified.
It was set to launch again the following day, but an electrical issue triggered the system to open the rocket's nose cone. An electrical issue forced a planned rocket launch to be delayed. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia
Gilmour Space posted a photo of a suspect cockatoo chewing electrical wires at its launch pad in Bowen.
'Not saying this is the root cause of our electrical issues … but we're not ruling him out,' a spokesman said in the post.
The post has been flooded with comments from people saying, 'Lucky he didn't launch, could have turned into a flamin' galah.'
'Only an Sulphur crested could stop a rocket from launching,' another person said.
'So computers have bugs and rockets have cockatoos,' a person commented.
'New thunder bird in Action!' another said.
'The single most destructive parrot/cockatoo of all time.' A cockatoo has copped the blame for a failed rocket launch. Gilmour Space Technologies Credit: Supplied
The test flight would have been the first time an Australian-made rocket had been launched into orbit, carrying a jar of Vegemite of course.
A new launch window will be announced by the company once confirmed.
Gilmour Space chief executive officer Adam Gilmour said the good news was their team and rocket were both fine.
'While we're disappointed by the delay, we're already working through a resolution and expect to be back on the pad soon,' he said.
'This is all part of the journey.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Movie giants bring Hollywood stardust to Flying Roos
Australia's ocean dominance has got a Hollywood upgrade as Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds became co-owners of the country's three-times champion SailGP team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos. The investment adds star power to the Australian outfit who have dominated the global sailing championship, winning a trio of titles in four seasons of the high-speed racing series. "We're incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure," Jackman and Reynolds said in a statement. "Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country as well as being an avid fan of sailing." The move comes just days after Oscar winner Anne Hathaway sailed into sports ownership, joining a female-led consortium who acquired the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in what circuit CEO Russell Coutts called "another significant milestone in SailGP's growth as a league". Founded in 2019, SailGP pits national crews in identical 50ft foiling catamarans reaching speeds over 54 knots within metres of shorelines in iconic harbours worldwide. "This is an incredible milestone for us and for our sport," said Tom Slingsby, who serves as driver, CEO and co-owner of the Flying Roos. SailGP director Andy Thompson added: "Today marks a landmark moment not just for the Australia team, but for the trajectory of SailGP globally," highlighting the "extraordinary combination of global reach, vision, commercial nous" the Hollywood duo bring. The newly minted Flying Roos will debut under their star-studded ownership at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 7-8, where they aim to defend their position atop the championship leaderboard.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Movie giants bring Hollywood stardust to Flying Roos
Australia's ocean dominance has got a Hollywood upgrade as Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds became co-owners of the country's three-times champion SailGP team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos. The investment adds star power to the Australian outfit who have dominated the global sailing championship, winning a trio of titles in four seasons of the high-speed racing series. "We're incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure," Jackman and Reynolds said in a statement. "Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country as well as being an avid fan of sailing." The move comes just days after Oscar winner Anne Hathaway sailed into sports ownership, joining a female-led consortium who acquired the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in what circuit CEO Russell Coutts called "another significant milestone in SailGP's growth as a league". Founded in 2019, SailGP pits national crews in identical 50ft foiling catamarans reaching speeds over 54 knots within metres of shorelines in iconic harbours worldwide. "This is an incredible milestone for us and for our sport," said Tom Slingsby, who serves as driver, CEO and co-owner of the Flying Roos. SailGP director Andy Thompson added: "Today marks a landmark moment not just for the Australia team, but for the trajectory of SailGP globally," highlighting the "extraordinary combination of global reach, vision, commercial nous" the Hollywood duo bring. The newly minted Flying Roos will debut under their star-studded ownership at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 7-8, where they aim to defend their position atop the championship leaderboard.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kim Kardashian's $148 pierced nipple bra is not a stunt – it's empowerment
Kim Kardashian's Skims clothing brand announced a new product last month, and it's pretty wild. The 'pierced nipple bra' has fabric nipples pierced with a barbell so that, under a close-fitting shirt, it appears the wearer has very cold, prominent – and pierced – nipples. Skims' Instagram explained: 'Our sexiest bra gets even hotter with faux nipple piercing design so you can get the 'Ooo' without the ouch!' Following the marketing success of the original 'nipple bra' in 2023, this version has already garnered awe, cringe, and bewilderment. You've got to acknowledge Kardashian's prowess for seeing a gap in the market, filling it, and then piercing it. At $148, this is an investment bra for those likely to show it off on their socials rather than being an everyday basic. Like a Guerlain perfume, or Chanel sunglasses, it makes a statement about your school of style. What kind of statement does it make? While the average reader of this masthead would likely not wear skin-tight crop tops that bare their (seemingly highly aroused) nipples for a casual day out, it's no longer taboo (if a walk through Fitzroy is any indication) to go braless or expose underboob. In urban Australia – as much as Los Angeles, Berlin or London – porn, music videos, fashion advertisements, and reality TV now coexist in an 'anything goes' era. Women should have every right to modify our bodies and dress as we want, but we don't have the luxury of taking our choices for granted when men are still advocating for MAGA-inspired 'tradwives', the US Vice President J.D. Vance says women should stay in violent marriages to keep their families together and, according to a Harvard Institute poll from last year, 46 per cent of young Republicans believe 'women are too promiscuous these days'. You might scoff at the idea that Kardashian, an influencer and billionaire, is waving a feminist flag with a fake pierced nipple bra. But it fits perfectly with her push for women's autonomy and empowerment through products that occasionally provoke but also appeal to women's aesthetic and desire for comfort. Male designers have long commodified women's bodies with ill-fitting tat, so the argument that she's exploiting her name for profit doesn't wash with me. Yes, her advertisements are heavily airbrushed and her clothing is unaffordable for many of her followers, but Kardashian built her wealth through Skims (worth approximately $US4 billion) and other savvy investments, by serving women first. In March, she told Vogue Business that it matters to her to have shapewear and lingerie that cater to a broad range of body shapes, sizes (Skims go up to the equivalent of Australian sizes 20/22), skin shades and styles. These sculpted bras are not a mere novelty – the nipple bra was embraced by women who'd had a mastectomy, too. Kardashian built this empire all while completing six years of legal studies and advocating for criminal justice reform. At 44, Kardashian refuses to follow the safe marketing route in showcasing Skims lingerie only on 20-something, skinny, white girls. Her models are diverse, and her grey, brown and beige designs are not created predominantly for the male gaze, but for women's comfort. That's radical in itself. So, to the pierced nipples. This bra design is close to my heart (boom, tish!) because in my late teens, nipple piercings were a trend among the cool girls in university. I didn't dare. Then, about six years ago, when the cool girls of Hollywood (Kendall, Miley, Bella Hadid, etc) were all baring their pierced nipples in paparazzi photos, I decided to join the crew.
