Gilmour Space Technologies

Gilmour Space Technologies is a venture-funded Australian aerospace company that is developing hybrid-propellant rocket engines and associated technologies to support the deployment of a low-cost launch vehicle.

Founded in 2012, Gilmour Space's function is to provide space launch services to the small satellite market – offering a range of Australian-built Eris orbital rockets, launched from Gilmour's private spaceport in north Queensland; and a modular G-Sat small satellite bus/platform.

The maiden flight of its Eris rocket, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Australia's first sovereign-made orbital rocket, is planned for no earlier than 2024 from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Abbot Point, Bowen.

Gilmour Space has near-term plans to develop a range of Eris launch vehicles capable of carrying larger satellites/payloads into Low Earth Orbits, and eventually provide space access for human spaceflight and exploration.

Founding
Gilmour Space was founded in Singapore (2012; closed 2019) and Australia (2013) by former banker, Adam Gilmour, and his brother James Gilmour.

The company's first project in 2013 was to design and manufacture high-fidelity spaceflight simulators and replicas for a number of space-related exhibits and the Spaceflight Academy Gold Coast. It began its rocket development program in 2015; and within 18 months, successfully launched Australia and Singapore's first privately developed hybrid test rocket using proprietary 3D printed fuel.

Since then, the company has been developing larger rockets, including the One Vision suborbital rocket and Eris orbital launch vehicle (more below).

Investors
As a leading New Space pioneer in Australia, Gilmour Space is backed by some of the country's largest investors, including Blackbird Ventures (which led its Series A fund raise ) and Main Sequence Ventures (which led its Series B raise ); as well as international investors like Fine Structure Ventures (Series C ) and 500 Startups. Other investors include Queensland Investment Corporation and Australian superannuation funds Hostplus, HESTA and NGS Super.

RASTA test rocket
RASTA (Reusable Ascent SeparaTion Article) was a sub-orbital sounding rocket launched by Gilmour Space on 22 July 2016, propelled by a proprietary hybrid rocket engine. It performed nominally during the test flight and reached an apogee of 5 km. RASTA was the first launch vehicle flown by Gilmour Space and was the world's first demonstration of a rocket launch using 3D printed fuel.

One Vision suborbital rocket
One Vision was a sub-orbital sounding rocket designed to test Gilmour Space's new mobile launch platform and their hybrid rocket engines. On 29 July 2019, One Vision was prepared and fuelled for its maiden test flight, however, during the countdown to launch, the vehicle suffered an anomaly, resulting in a premature end to the mission. The anomaly was caused by a pressure regulator in the oxidiser tank that had failed to maintain required pressure, causing damage to the tank. According to the company, after a detailed investigation into the anomaly, 15 key recommendations were implemented into the design of Eris. As part of the One Vision launch campaign, the company also designed and built a mobile rocket launch platform (as there were no commercial Australian launch sites at the time), which was successfully tested during the campaign.

Eris orbital rocket
Gilmour Space is currently developing its Eris Block 1 rocket, a three-stage small-lift launch vehicle designed to launch up to 300 kg of payload to low Earth orbit. The vehicle is known to have four of Gilmour's Sirius hybrid rocket motors propelling the first stage, another Sirius motor in its second stage, and a new Phoenix liquid rocket engine in its third stage. Eris has a height of 25m and a diameter of 2m for the first stage, which tapers at the interstage of the first and second stage to 1.5m. The payload fairing has two diameter configurations, being 1.5m and 1.2m.

Eris's maiden launch is targeted for 2024, pending final approvals from the Federal Government and Australian Space Agency. It will be the first Australian orbital rocket to launch from Australia, and the first orbital launch attempt from Australia in over 50 years. Moreover, if successful, Eris could be the world's first hybrid rocket to achieve orbit.

Gilmour Space has revealed it is developing an Eris Block 2 vehicle capable of lifting up to 1,000 kg to low Earth orbit, which is expected to enter commercial service in 2026. The company has also unveiled future plans for an Eris Heavy variant, which would be capable of lifting 4,000 kg payloads into orbit. If built, Eris Heavy would be classified as a medium-lift launch vehicle, potentially capable of carrying human-rated spacecraft.

Eris first went vertical on the launchpad on 11 April 2024 in preparation for launch, but did not have a launch permit yet as of 26 May.

Engine static tests
Since starting its rocket program in 2015, Gilmour Space has conducted hundreds of engine static test firings, most recently:

Bowen Orbital Spaceport (BOS)
In May 2021, results from an environmental and technical study conducted by the Queensland government for Abbot Point, Bowen gave Gilmour Space the green light to begin work on an orbital launch facility at located in the Abbot Point Development Area.

Since then, the company has engaged with the indigenous Juru people and local businesses to construct the Bowen Orbital Spaceport. When approved, this privately operated site will provide Gilmour Space with launch access to 20° to 65° low- to mid-inclination equatorial orbits.

Following final approvals from the Federal Government and Australian Space Agency, BOS became Australia's first commercial orbital spaceport on the 5th of March 2024, with its maiden launch with Eris (also Australia's first orbital launch vehicle) planned for later in 2024.

Others
In February 2018 (since lapsed), Gilmour Space signed a reimbursable Space Act Agreement with NASA to collaborate on various research, technology development and educational initiatives, including the testing of its MARS rover at Kennedy Space Center.

In December 2019, Gilmour Space signed a statement of strategic intent with the Australian Space Agency as a demonstration of its commitment to launch Australia to space.

In June 2022, it was confirmed that Gilmour Space had been awarded a federal Modern Manufacturing Initiative Collaboration grant to establish the Australian Space Manufacturing Network in Queensland.