In May, Australian startup Gilmour Space attempted its first orbital launch. However, it failed because the Eris rocket prematurely jettisoned its payload fairing. One of the possible reasons for the failure was cited as “sabotage” by a cockatoo parrot that allegedly chewed one of the electrical cables.
From this material, you will learn about the main goals of Gilmour Space, the design of the Eris rocket, and, most importantly, whether the parrot is really to blame for its failed debut.
Aerospace startup from Australia
Several orbital launches have been carried out from Australian territory in the past. However, these have involved British and American rockets. Australia has never had a carrier capable of launching cargo into orbit.
The creators of Gilmour Space set out to change that. The company was founded in 2013 by former banker Adam Gilmour and his brother James. In the early years, it designed and manufactured high-fidelity space flight simulators and mock-ups for aerospace exhibitions and the Gold Coast Spaceflight Academy.
In 2015, the company took the next step and announced the start of development of its rockets. The management of Gilmour Space decided to follow the traditional path for “new space” companies. The priority was the creation of a cheap small carrier designed to launch small cargoes into low-Earth orbit. It should be followed by more powerful rockets.
Already in 2016, Gilmour Space launched the RASTA suborbital rocket using 3D-printed hybrid propellant. It managed to reach an altitude of 5 kilometers. This was followed by developing a more powerful One Vision suborbital rocket, designed to test a new mobile launch platform and hybrid rocket motors. However, on July 29, 2019, just 9 seconds before the engine was launched, an accident occurred, leading to the destruction of some elements of the rocket.
Despite this setback, the company gained important experience that was put to use in the development of the Eris orbital rocket. It is this rocket that is to become the main workhorse of Gilmour Space.
Eris technical device
The Eris rocket has a three-stage design. It is 25 meters long and has a mass (fueled) of 35 tons. The first stage of Eris has a diameter of 2 meters and is equipped with four hybrid Sirius engines running on solid propellant and hydrogen peroxide, which is used as an oxidizer. The propellant for Eris is printed on 3D printers.
The second stage of Eris has a diameter of 1.5 meters and is equipped with one Sirius engine, similar to those installed on the first stage. The third stage of the rocket is equipped with a liquid engine operating on a kerosene-liquid oxygen fuel pair.
According to the designers, Eris is capable of launching up to 215 kilograms of cargo into a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit and up to 300 kilograms into a 500-kilometer equatorial orbit.
In the future, Gilmour Space Technologies plans to build a larger Eris Block II rocket, which will be able to launch up to a ton of cargo into low orbit. It is also planned to build a medium-class carrier, Eris Heavy, which will have a payload capacity of 4 tons.
Unsuccessful first attempt
In September 2024, Gilmour Space conducted a dress rehearsal for the launch – the Eris rocket was fueled and underwent a countdown that was stopped 10 seconds before liftoff. This allowed engineers to troubleshoot problems in the rocket and ground systems, such as two faulty valves, and to make minor software changes.
A few months later, the company received launch authorization from the Australian Space Agency. In May 2025, the Eris rocket was installed on the launch pad at Bowen Orbital Spaceport, after which specialists began preparations. The launch was scheduled for May 17. However, the rocket never left the launch pad for a very unusual reason. Shortly before the start of refueling Eris in the work of the electrical mechanism responsible for the opening of the head fairing of the rocket, there was a failure. As a result, the flaps were jettisoned right on the launch pad.
Shortly thereafter, several media outlets blamed…. cockatoo parrot for the incident. Some media outlets soon afterwards blamed the incident on a cockatoo parrot.
However, Gilmour Space did not take the easy way out and soon announced the innocence of the parrot. According to experts, the cause of the accident was an unexpected power surge from the systems located below. It led to the activation of the payload fairing separation mechanism.
The date of the new Eris flight
At the moment, it is still unknown when a new attempt to launch Eris will take place. To do this, engineers need to make sure that the problem is fixed and then install a new head fairing on the rocket. The company hopes to name a new date in the second half of June.
It is worth noting that no satellites will be placed on board Eris during its debut flight. A can of Vegemite pasta, Australia’s national dish, will play the role of payload. Gilmour Space hopes to begin regular cargo deliveries to orbit by late 2026, early 2027.
