WATCH | Australia’s first domestically made rocket crashes 14 seconds after liftoff

Australia launched its first domestically built rocket, Eris, on Wednesday (Jul 30). However, the spacecraft, which was set to attempt to reach orbit, crashed 14 seconds after its liftoff from a spaceport near Bowen in northern Queensland. The rocket was developed by Gilmour Space Technologies and was the first Australian-designed and manufactured orbital launch vehicle intended to carry small satellites into space.

In footage shared by the space company online, the 23-metre-high rocket can be seen as it attempts its first flight from the launch tower, marking the first attempt at an orbital launch from Australia in over 50 years. As the rocket lifted off, it failed to launch successfully and hovered briefly before crashing down. Thick smoke and enormous flames can be seen erupting from its wreckage at the launch base. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Despite the rocket crashing, CEO Adam Gilmour expressed satisfaction with the successful launch at the launchpad, saying, “Space is hard.”

“SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit. We've learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production,” he added.

In a post on Facebook, the company called the launch a “success”, noting that all four hybrid engines ignited. The rocket achieved 23 seconds of engine burn and 14 seconds of flight on its debut launch.

Earlier, Gilmour Space Technologies had scheduled launches in May and then earlier this month. However, both were postponed due to weather conditions and technical issues.

“Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program. This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology, and our spaceport — and it proved that much of what we've built works,” Gilmour said.

“Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this,” he posted on LinkedIn. Earlier in February, the CEO highlighted that it was “almost unheard of” for a private space company to be successful in reaching orbit in its first flight attempt.

The company had earlier suggested that it would deem the mission as successful if the rocket lifted off. In a statement, it said that the launch site infrastructure “remained intact.”

Describing the launch as a “huge achievement”, Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said, “This is an important first step towards the giant leap of a future commercial space industry right here in our region.”

Earlier this month, the federal government granted AU$5 million ($3.2 million) to Gilmour Space Technologies, a privately funded firm, to support the development of the Eris rocket. In 2023, the government granted a AU$52 million ($35 million) funding agreement for space innovation and commercialisation in Australia.

According to NASASpaceFlight, there have been hundreds of suborbital launches, but only two successful orbital missions from its territory.