Gilmour Space looks to join the commercial rocket race

The Australian-based rocket company Gilmour Space is looking to launch its Eris orbital launch vehicle no earlier than April 2024.

Based out of Queensland, Australia, Gilmour Space has been slowly but steadily testing all of the components of its Eris rocket ahead of a planned launch this year.

The 3-stage rocket can launch up to 305 kg (672 lbs) into low Earth orbit, roughly matching Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket.

Eris stands 25 meters (82 ft) tall, with the base of the rocket being 2 meters (6 ft) in diameter before tapering to 1.5 meters for the top half of the rocket. The payload fairing can either be 1.2 or 1.5 meters in diameter.

This is #Sirius, Gilmour’s main hybrid rocket engine that will power the first and second stages of the #Eris rocket to orbit.
Mission duration test fire (and tested to destruction)
115 kilonewtons of thrust
Steady. Efficient. Combustion.

More: https://t.co/8JOMjcdf5F pic.twitter.com/7RJmxXCtNw

— Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) November 8, 2022

The first stage will be powered by 4 of the company’s Sirius hybrid rocket motors which use a proprietary solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer, a single Sirius rocket motor will power the second stage of the rocket once it reaches staging and finally the third stage will utilize their 3D printed Phoenix rocket engine which is fueled by liquid oxygen and RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene).

Thought we’d share this #behindthescenes pic of our 110kN Eris Stage 2 before we integrated it into the rest of the rocket…

** LAUNCH UPDATE: With end of year fast-approaching and launch approvals still pending, Test Flight 1 will now attempt first orbital launch in 2024. ** pic.twitter.com/bwG0BiNMwq

— Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) December 5, 2023

Over the past few years, the company has conducted many test fires of both engines including testing their Sirius hybrid rocket motor to destruction.

When the vehicle is fully integrated, the rocket will be placed onto its transporter erector and rolled to its launch pad at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport and raised vertically.

Once the company receives final approvals to attempt a launch, it will be the first orbital launch attempt from Australia since October 1971 and if successful, will be the first rocket to use a hybrid motor to reach orbit.

Gilmour Space is joining a growing market of small rocket providers, and it remains to be seen if they will be able to make an impact similar to Rocket Lab or face a fate similar to Astra. Do you think Gilmour Space will be successful in their first attempt?

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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