A Queensland aerospace company has been given the green light to launch the first Australian-made rocket from Australian soil.
Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour said the Federal Government and the Australian Space Agency had granted the company the country’s first orbital launch permit for its maiden Eris rocket launch from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland.
“With this green light, we will soon attempt the first orbital test flight of an Australian-made rocket from Australian soil,” Mr Gilmour said.
“Our team is assessing the conditions of the permit and will advise on the anticipated launch date for Eris TestFlight1 in the coming weeks.”
Mr Gilmour said the Gold Coast company’s Bowen Orbital Spaceport was granted Australia’s first orbital launch facility licence in March and in September it completed a major wet dress rehearsal of its Eris launch vehicle, progressing the countdown to T-10 seconds.
He said the upcoming TestFlight1 would be the first of several planned test launches to reach orbit with Eris, which leveraged new propulsion technologies developed by the company.
Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said the launch approval marked an important milestone for Bowen and the Whitsundays region, with the Bowen spaceport one of only a few private orbital launch sites globally.
“Success here isn’t just about reaching orbit—it’s about positioning Bowen as a key player in Australia’s journey to space,” Mayor Collins said.
