Gilmour Space Technologies has completed the first test flight of its locally designed and built Eris rocket, marking a major milestone in Australia’s bid to develop sovereign orbital launch capabilities.
The 23-metre, 30-tonne Eris rocket lifted off from the newly licensed Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland, reaching approximately 14 seconds of flight powered by Gilmour’s proprietary hybrid propulsion technology.
“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,” said Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour. “Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program.”
Initial flight data confirmed that key systems, including ignition, liftoff, first-stage thrust, range tracking, and telemetry, performed well until an anomaly prompted early termination of the mission. The company is now analysing telemetry to determine the cause and apply improvements to the next vehicle, which is already under construction.
“Space is hard. SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit,” Gilmour said. “We’ve learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle.”
The launch was conducted safely, with no injuries or environmental impacts reported. The campaign also marked the first use of Australia’s first commercial orbital launch site — the Bowen Orbital Spaceport — built by Gilmour Space to support future domestic and international space missions.
The Eris rocket was developed almost entirely in-house, including its propulsion system, structures, avionics, software, and the supporting spaceport infrastructure, using a fraction of the resources available to larger global launch providers.
“Clearing the tower was a major milestone for our team. It showed that Australia can design, build, and launch rockets right here at home,” Gilmour added.
The TestFlight 1 campaign was the culmination of years of work by a team of over 200 employees and more than 500 Australian suppliers. Gilmour Space worked closely with key government agencies including the Australian Space Agency, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Airservices Australia, and maritime authorities to ensure a safe and compliant launch process.
“Only six nations currently launch to orbit regularly — and just a handful are developing sovereign capability to join them,” Gilmour said. “We’ve now taken a big step toward joining that group.”
Gilmour Space plans to conduct its next test flight within the coming months, building on the lessons learned from this mission.
“Every test, especially the first, is a learning opportunity,” Gilmour said. “Congratulations to our talented team for getting us this far. Onward to TestFlight 2.”
