Latest news with #AdamGilmour
West Australian
28-05-2025
- Science
- West Australian
Unlikely suspect caught red-handed over failed rocket launch in Bowen, Qld
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. 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.' 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.'
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
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.'
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Unlikely suspect caught red-handed over failed rocket launch in Bowen, Qld
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. 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.' 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 t '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.'
Sharjah 24
16-05-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Australian rocket launch wiped off by nose cone problem
Technical glitch detected Gilmour Space Technologies reported that an electrical fault mistakenly triggered the opening mechanism of the carbon-fibre nose cone during pre-flight testing. This nose cone is crucial for shielding the payload during the rocket's ascent through the Earth's atmosphere. Incident overview The mishap occurred before the vehicle was fueled at the company's spaceport near Bowen, approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of Brisbane. Gilmour's CEO, Adam Gilmour, reassured that both the rocket and the team are safe, expressing disappointment but emphasising safety as the top priority. Moving forward The team will work to identify the issue with the 23-meter (75-foot) Eris rocket, designed for launching satellites into low-Earth orbit. A replacement nose cone is expected to be transported to the launch site shortly. Rocket specifications The fully fueled rocket weighs 30 tonnes and features a hybrid propulsion system that uses solid inert fuel and a liquid oxidizer. If successful, this launch would mark the first time an Australian-made rocket is sent into orbit from Australian soil. Team resilience Communications chief Michelle Gilmour acknowledged the team's disappointment but noted that setbacks are common in rocket development. The initial launch attempt had also been delayed a day prior due to a bug in the external power system. Future plans Gilmour Space Technologies, with a workforce of 230 employees, aims to commence commercial launches by late 2026 or early 2027. The company has been developing rockets for a decade and is supported by investors, including venture capital group Blackbird and pension fund HESTA.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16-05-2025
- Science
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Nose Cone Glitch Wipes Australian Rocket Launch
An Australian aerospace firm said Friday it has scrubbed a historic attempt to send a locally developed rocket into orbit, citing a glitch in the nose cone protecting its payload -- a jar of Vegemite. An electrical fault erroneously deployed the opening mechanism of the carbon-fiber nose cone during pre-flight testing, Gilmour Space Technologies said, according to AFP. The nose cone is designed to shield the payload during the rocket's ascent through the Earth's atmosphere before reaching space. The mishap happened before fueling of the vehicle at the company's spaceport near the east coast township of Bowen, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) up from the Queensland capital Brisbane. "The good news is the rocket and the team are 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," said chief executive Adam Gilmour. "As always, safety is our highest priority." Gilmour said the team would now work to identify the problem on its 23-meter (75-foot), three-stage Eris rocket, which is designed to send satellites into low-Earth orbit. A replacement nose cone would be transported to the launch site in the coming days, he said. Weighing 30 tons fully fueled, the rocket has a hybrid propulsion system, using a solid inert fuel and a liquid oxidizer, which provides the oxygen for it to burn. If successful, it would be the first Australian-made rocket to be sent into orbit from Australian soil. "We have all worked really hard so, yes, the team is disappointed. But on the other hand, we do rockets -- they are used to setbacks," said communications chief Michelle Gilmour. "We are talking about at least a few weeks, so it is not going to happen now," she told AFP. The payload for the initial test -- a jar of Vegemite -- remained intact. "It's hardy, resilient, like Aussies," she said. Gilmour Space Technologies had to delay a launch attempt the previous day, too, because of a bug in the external power system it relies on for system checks. The company, which has 230 employees, hopes to start commercial launches in late 2026 or early 2027. It has worked on rocket development for a decade, and is backed by investors including venture capital group Blackbird and pension fund HESTA.
