The first launch of Australia's Eris-1 rocket, built by Gilmour Space, lasted just 14 seconds — after a short take-off it crashed and exploded. Despite the failure, Gilmour Space called the launch a "big step" for Australia's space industry.
The launch took place on the morning of July 30, 2025, from a site in the northeast of the country. The rocket's engines fired for 23 seconds, 14 of which were in flight. The rocket then lost thrust, fell to the ground, and exploded.
Eris-1 is a three-stage rocket capable of delivering up to 215 kg of payload to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). It is equipped with Sirius engines of its own design, which during ground tests achieved thrust of up to 110 kN. Judging by the launch results, not all four engines of the first stage worked properly.
"Of course, I would like more flight time, but I'm happy with this," said Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour.
The company also confirmed that all team members are safe, and the data collected will be used for the next test.
Australian Space Agency chief Enrico Palermo said first launches were rarely successful and the lessons learned were important for future developments. Innovation Minister Tim Ayres added that the test would help strengthen the national space ecosystem.
Australia currently does not have its own full-fledged launch infrastructure. A previous launch by Gilmour Space in May had to be cancelled due to a technical issue with the fairing.