Australia’s first domestically built orbital rocket, Eris, crashed just 14 seconds after liftoff on Wednesday, cutting short what was meant to be a historic step for the nation’s space industry.
Developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, the 23-metre Eris rocket launched on a test flight from a spaceport near Bowen in northern Queensland. The vehicle briefly cleared the launch tower, hovered, and then plummeted to the ground in a fiery crash, as seen in dramatic footage shared online and by Australian media.
Liftoff completed, launch tower cleared, stage 1 tested.
Awesome result for a first test launch. pic.twitter.com/EYbNbGDz3l— Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) July 30, 2025
No Injuries Reported, Infrastructure Intact
Despite the crash, no injuries were reported, and the launch site infrastructure “remained intact,” according to the company’s statement. The mission was the first-ever orbital launch attempt by a fully Australian-designed and manufactured rocket.
TestFlight1 — Liftoff 🚀
Today, Eris became the first #AustralianMade orbital rocket to launch from Australian soil — ~14s of flight, 23s engine burn.
Big step for 🇦🇺 launch capability. Team safe, data in hand, eyes on TestFlight 2.
(More pics and vids to come from the media.) pic.twitter.com/l9yPSUAIbR
— Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) July 30, 2025
“Space is hard,” Says CEO Adam Gilmour
In a statement following the incident, Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour remained optimistic.
“Space is hard,” said Gilmour. “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.”
On LinkedIn, Gilmour added:
“Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this.”
He also emphasized the technical milestones:
“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.”
Hybrid Engine Test Considered a Success
A spokesperson for Gilmour Space said the rocket achieved “23 seconds of engine burn and 14 seconds of flight”, with all four hybrid engines igniting successfully. The company described the test as a “success” on Facebook, noting that the mission met its minimum goal: lift-off from the launch pad.
Previous launches scheduled in May and earlier this July had been postponed due to technical challenges and poor weather conditions.
Federal Funding Boosts Australia’s Space Ambitions
Gilmour Space Technologies, a privately funded company, recently received a AU$5 million federal grant to continue developing the Eris rocket. This adds to a larger AU$52 million funding package from 2023 aimed at boosting Australia’s commercial space capabilities.
Local Leaders Applaud “First Step” Toward Space Future
Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins praised the launch effort despite the failure to reach orbit:
“This is an important first step towards the giant leap of a future commercial space industry right here in our region,” he wrote on Facebook, calling the mission a “huge achievement.”
Eris Launch Marks Historic Moment for Australian Spaceflight
While Australia has hosted hundreds of suborbital launches, only two successful orbital missions have ever launched from its soil. The Eris test flight marked the first orbital launch attempt from Australia in more than 50 years, according to NASASpaceFlight.
Despite the setback, Gilmour Space remains committed to future launches, with another vehicle already in production and valuable data gathered from this test to inform the next mission.
