Austraya's Sky Dance: Eris, the Homegrown Rocketeer Aims for Its Maiden Voyage
Australia's indigenous food spread, Vegemite, is set to embark on its maiden voyage as a payload in the nation's initial space rocket test flight. - Australian spacecraft's inaugural test flight set to happen, featuring Vegemite on board as a payload.
Listen up, mates! We're talking 'bout something big happenin' down under—the very first launch of an Aussie-made rocket from Aussie soil! If things go smashingly well, the homegrown rocket known as Eris will be takin' off from the Gilmour Space's Bowen Orbital Spaceport in sunny Queensland, Australia. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? Even the big boss of Gilmour Space Technologies, Adam Gilmour, confessed he'd probably keel over from shock if the rocket made it to space and orbited the Earth!
Now, you're probably wonderin' what's in store for this bold journey. Eris is a towering 23-meter tall, 30-tonne beast designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. In theory, it can haul a payload of up to 200 kilograms. However, for its debut performance, kilos won't matter—there's only one passenger: a humble Aussie favorite—a jar of Vegemite. That's right, the iconic spread will be blasting off into the great unknown alongside our brave rocket.
- Mumbo Jumbo Launch
- Aussie Outback Spaceport
- Homegrown Rocket
- Tinned Spread Stowaway
G'day, Space!
In case you're longing for some juicy details on the initial launch date or the spaceport's location, we've got some tidbits for ya. The launch was initially slated for May 15, 2025, but a few technical snafus put the brakes on that timeline. The spaceport in question is none other than the Gilmour Space's Bowen Orbital Spaceport, snugly nestled in northern Queensland, Australia.
For those of you who fancy the nitty-gritty, the Eris rocket is engineered to lug up to 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit, aiming to grant Australia a solid orbital launch capability all its own[2]. The launch had to be scrubbed due to a couple of issues: the payload fairing and a glitch in the nose cone[1][2]. The team is busy fixing those problems and setting their sights on a brand-new launch attempt. So, stay tuned, little Aussie battlers—it's go time!
Sources:
- Aussie space guy's freaky dream: VegeTakeoff (ABC News, 2023)
- Australia's New Space Race: Gilmour Technologies Wants to Launch Satellites (9News, 2021)
- Eris Rockets (Gilmour Media, 2023)
- Gilmour Space Technologies (Gilmour Space Technologies, 2023)
- The Homegrown Rocket's Space Odyssey The iconic Australian spread, Vegemite, is set to hitch a ride on the Eris rocket, which is engineered for low Earth orbit missions and boasts a potential capacity of 300 kilograms, as it ascends from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport.
- Science, Space, and Aussie Technology Drawing inspiration from the country's innovative spirit, Gilmour Space Technologies aims to launch the Eris rocket, designed for small satellite deployment, from the Gilmour Space's Bowen Orbital Spaceport situate in northern Queensland, Australia.
