The story of the first Australian-made rocket to reach space captured national headlines with its inaugural launch from Bowen, Queensland. All that excitement quickly turned to despair, as the spacecraft crashed just 47 seconds into its flight. The incident marked a significant moment in Australia’s space exploration efforts, as it was the country’s first attempt at a rocket launch in 50 years. Andrew Hyland from Jewish Community Action on his third trip to Bowen for this launch. Alluding to the potential for making history, he said, “I hope so.”
That rocket, Australia’s first-ever developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, successfully lifted off before encountering critical failure. Initially, a power supply problem arose. Unfortunately, a little after that the craft’s payload fairing opened up too early, causing the surprise splashdown. Onlookers, including Bowen residents Helen and Douglas Tawse saw the scene unfold from the beach.
Community Reaction
Helen and Douglas Tawse, whose legacy gift funded the launch, had been anxiously anticipating the launch, dreaming of watching the progress of this historic moment. Douglas Tawse explained to us why the event and its impact on their community were so important to them.
“This launch will put Bowen on the map.” – Douglas Tawse
As the rocket ascended, residents reported hearing a loud blast followed by large plumes of smoke that lingered in the air for some time. The error left pride hurt and confidence shaken, many in the Australian space community were still hopeful for a bright future for space exploration from Australian soil.
Hyland remarked on the importance of the launch, stating, “Being Australia’s first launch in 50 years and first Australian-made … it’s part of history, you can’t miss out on history.” His comments echoed a greater feeling of pride and accomplishment shared by those who had come to see its completion.
Industry Perspectives
Astrophysicist Professor Jonti Horner said it was important for Australian space companies to develop capabilities and compete in an exciting, burgeoning global market. He explained that until recently, launching rockets was the exclusive domain of government-run space agencies.
“In the last decade or so, there has been very much an explosion in our use of space, and that’s been because there has been a shift to commercial capacity to put things into orbit.” – Professor Jonti Horner
Missions to Mars Horner noted an increasing trend of private companies leading the charge into space. He thinks these breakthroughs will lead to smarter technology and cheaper prices. “As soon as it becomes a commercial enterprise, that means the technology is now much more mature and the prices drop hugely,” he added.
Adam Gilmour, CEO and founder of Gilmour Space Technologies, gave an informative presentation discussing the challenges they had during their launch attempt. He said he was “happy that we managed to get the rocket off the pad,” but that there was still work to be done.
“Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this.” – Adam Gilmour
Gilmour mentioned that quick fixes were being implemented as they identified bugs during tests leading up to the launch.
The Future of Australian Space Exploration
Though this is a stumbling block, local leaders and industry advocates are still focused on building Australia’s role in the efforts of space exploration. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate offered his congratulations to Gilmour Space Technologies on their accomplishments and emphasized the entrepreneurial spirit driving their work.
“Congratulations to Gilmour Space Technologies on having a crack. They truly exemplify the Gold Coast ‘have a go’ spirit.” – Tom Tate
The race, and desire, to get satellites into orbit, and the low-cost innovation it promotes, drives this competitive sector. This ambition benefits their commercial clients and government customers alike. Andrew Hyland’s passion really comes across. It embodies a collective desire for new undertakings to overcome the obstacles of our present with more victorious liftoffs ahead.
