Australian rocket explodes on launch in north Queensland
Gilmour Space's rocket, the Eris 1, lifted off shortly after 8.30am on Wednesday.
Michelle Gilmour, the company's director of marketing and communications, could barely be heard over the din of celebration at the company's base.
Before the test-flight, Gilmour had set a target of simply getting off the launch-pad.
'We're happy, all considered. We know what happened. Unfortunately it was an old rocket - it's been sitting on the pad for 18 months. So this was always likely. But this is good.'
She said the company would have more to say within the next few hours about the case of the explosion and the next steps.
Chief executive Adam Gilmour posted on LinkedIn saying he was happy with progress.
'Got off the pad, I am happy,' he said. 'Of course I would have liked more flight time, but happy with this.'
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