The next attempt to launch the Australian Eris rocket will take place no earlier than July 1, according to Australian startup Gilmour Space.
Gilmour Space was founded in 2013 by former banker Adam Gilmour and his brother James. For the first few years, the company focused on designing and making high-precision space flight simulators and models for aerospace exhibitions. After that, it switched to making rockets. Gilmour Space has made it a priority to create a low-cost small launch vehicle designed to deliver small payloads into low Earth orbit. It is called Eris.
The Eris rocket has a three-stage design. It is 25 meters long and weighs 35 tons (when fueled). The first two stages run on solid fuel, which is printed on a 3D printer, and hydrogen peroxide, which is used as an oxidizer. The third stage is liquid-fueled and runs on a mixture of kerosene and liquid oxygen. According to the designers, Eris is capable of delivering up to 215 kg of cargo to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit and up to 300 kg to a 500-kilometer equatorial orbit.
The first attempt to launch Eris took place on May 17. However, the rocket did not leave the launch pad for a very unusual reason. Shortly before Eris began refueling, the electrical mechanism responsible for opening the rocket’s head fairing malfunctioned. As a result, the wings were dropped directly onto the launch pad.
Initially, some media reported that a cockatoo was responsible for the incident. Footage from security cameras showing a bird gnawing on one of the cables on the launch pad was released. However, it was later determined that the parrot was not at fault and that the incident was caused by a power surge, which activated the payload fairing separation mechanism.
After completing the investigation, Gilmour Space specialists made the necessary changes to the rocket’s design, and now they are preparing for its new launch. According to a recent statement by the company, it will take place no earlier than July 1. During its debut flight, there will be no satellites on board Eris. A jar of Vegemite will serve as the payload. Success will make Eris the first Australian rocket in history to reach space.
