The first ever Australian-made rocket, Eris-1, crashed and burst into flames just 14 seconds after launch on Tuesday, in a disappointment to the country’s fledgling aerospace industry,
Australian broadcaster ABC News reports that a crowd gathered at Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland Tuesday morning to witness what was thought to be history in the making: the launch of the Eris-1.
The 23-metre orbital rocket’s time in the spotlight was brief, however: just 23 seconds after the engines ignited, and 14 seconds into its flight, the rocket stalled, tilting sideways before dropping to the ground and catching fire.
Industry experts responded with characteristic Australian stoicism. “It’s rocket science. It’s not easy,” Paulo de Souza, an executive dean of engineering at Edith Cowan University who has worked with NASA, told ABC News. “It’s almost impossible to get it right the first time.”
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The makers of the rocket also put a brave face on the affair. “We’ve learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production,” Adam Gilmour, CEO and co-founder of Gilmour Space, said in a statement. “Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket programme.”
Since the launch pad was not damaged, Gilmour said he expects the company will likely be able to launch a second test flight in about six months.
University of Southern Queensland astrophysicist Jonti Horner meanwhile called the launch the best first attempt he’d ever seen. “Every organisation that has launched rockets to space has built success off the back of explosive failures,” he reminded ABC News.
Horner told the news outlet that he expects a satellite launch from Australia would be feasible within five years. The Eris rockets are designed for exactly that, capable of carrying up to 305 kilograms of material into low-Earth orbit.
