Australia's historic orbital launch fails, rocket crashes seconds after liftoff
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Australia’s first attempt at launching an orbital rocket, Eris, ended in failure just seconds after liftoff on July 29, 2025.
Developed by Queensland-based aerospace company Gilmour Space, the Eris rocket lifted off from Bowen Orbital Spaceport at 6:35 p.m. EDT (8:30 a.m. local time), marking a significant milestone in the nation’s space ambitions — despite the setback.
The rocket, entirely designed and built in Australia, began its ascent but quickly veered off course.
Just 14 seconds into the flight, it crashed back to Earth after sliding sideways shortly after leaving the launch pad.
Observers have likened the failure to Astra’s third orbital attempt in 2021, which similarly ended in a crash.
Still, Gilmour Space has taken the failure in stride. “Whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q, or get all the way to space, what's important is that every second of the flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for future launches,” the company had stated back in February.
Following the crash, the team reiterated that this attempt was an important step forward. Fortunately, there were no injuries or environmental damage reported.
The road to launch had already faced multiple delays. Originally scheduled for May, the launch was postponed due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Later, a technical issue with the rocket’s payload fairing — triggered by a power surge — forced further delays. Wind conditions in June again disrupted plans, pushing the date back until late July.
Founded by brothers Adam and James Gilmour, Gilmour Space is at the forefront of Australia’s efforts to establish a presence in spaceflight. Beyond Eris, the company is also working on satellite technology and other aerospace developments.
Despite the launch failure, the event marks the first time in more than half a century that Australia has attempted such a bold move in space exploration.
