BOWEN, QUEENSLAND – Australian space technology company Gilmour Space Technologies has vowed to forge ahead with its orbital rocket program despite a failed launch attempt yesterday, which saw its Eris rocket crash just 14 seconds into its maiden flight.
Crash Marks a Major Step Forward Despite the brief liftoff, Gilmour Space Technologies CEO Adam Gilmour hailed the attempt as a major success, citing the rocket’s ability to leave the launch pad as a significant milestone.
The company plans to launch another orbital rocket within months, with the goal of sending satellites into orbit for commercial entities and government agencies.
Gilmour attributed the crash to engine failure but expressed confidence in the company’s ability to learn from the experience.
“In the next few months, we’ve got to get the second rocket done, bring it here, and launch it,” he said.
Industry Experts Weigh In Space industry experts have praised the launch attempt as a significant achievement, emphasizing the difficulty of successfully launching a rocket.
Paulo De Souza, executive dean of engineering at Edith Cowan University, who has worked with NASA, noted that “it’s almost impossible to get it right the first time” and that “failure is part of the business … until you get it right.”
University of Southern Queensland astrophysicist Jonti Horner described the launch attempt as the best first launch he had seen, stating that “every organization that has launched rockets to space has built success off the back of explosive failures.”
Tourism Boost for Bowen The launch attempt also brought a welcome tourism boost to the town of Bowen, with many people flocking to the area to witness the historic event.
Alistair Sawers, who attended the launch with his two children, praised the company’s bravery, saying, “At least they gave it a go.
Hopefully, they give it another go.”