Latest news with #GilmourSpaceTechnologies
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.'
AU Financial Review
22-05-2025
- Science
- AU Financial Review
Australia's homegrown rocket needs more than money and family wealth
Gilmour Space Technologies is on the verge of making history. From Juru lands in Bowen, Queensland, it aims to launch the first Australian-made rocket from Australian soil. But for now, that moment is paused – an issue with the payload fairing (the rocket's nose cone) has delayed lift-off. It's a stark reminder of a simple truth known throughout the space sector: space is hard. Really hard.
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.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Launch of Australia's 1st homegrown orbital rocket delayed indefinitely due to payload fairing issue
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We'll have to wait a bit longer for the first-ever launch of an Australian orbital rocket. Queensland-based company Gilmour Space had aimed to debut its Eris rocket today (May 15), but a problem with the vehicle's payload fairing scuttled that plan. "Last night, during final checks, an unexpected issue triggered the rocket's payload fairing. No fuel was loaded, no one was hurt, and early inspections show no damage to the rocket or pad," Gilmour Space said via X this afternoon. "We'll send a replacement fairing from our Gold Coast factory after a full investigation. That means we're standing down from this test campaign to investigate and fix. A new date for TestFlight1 will be announced once ready. Ad Astra (PS: Vegemite payload = safe : )," Gilmour wrote in a second post. Vegemite, for the uninitiated, is a salty brown yeast paste that Australians love to spread on toast. Gilmour Space Technologies, founded by the brothers Adam and James Gilmour, began its rocket program in 2015. The company has been busy over the past decade. For example, it developed the 82-foot-tall (25-meter-tall) Eris and built a private launch site on the coast of northern Queensland, called the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, with the goal of making Australia more of a space player. "Launching Australian-owned and controlled rockets from home soil means more high-tech jobs, greater security, economic growth, and technological independence," Adam Gilmour, the company's CEO, said in a statement in February. Related stories: — Australian company Gilmour Space gets country's 1st orbital launch license — UK approves 1st vertical rocket launch from Saxavord Spaceport — There was nearly 1 rocket launch attempt every 34 hours in 2024 — this year will be even busier The upcoming test flight will be the first for both Eris and the spaceport. And it will be historic in another way, marking the first-ever liftoff of an Australian-built orbital rocket. Full success is a rarity for rockets making their debut, so Gilmour Space is setting its TestFlight1 expectations at a reasonable level. "Whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q, or get all the way to space, what's important is that every second of flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for future launches," Adam Gilmour said in the same statement.
