Gold Coast brothers launch spaceport
The Helensvale-headquartered Gilmour Space Technologies has officially opened the doors of a spaceport in Bowen, North Queensland and is gearing up for its first launch within weeks.
The company, which is the brainchild of brothers Adam and James Gilmour, is a venture-funded Australian space company.
The company has developed a 23-metre, 30-tonne rocket, called Eris, that is reportedly capable of launching small satellites into low earth orbits.
This week Queensland Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade & Investment, Cameron Dick officially opened the company’s Bowen Orbital Spaceport at the Abbot Point State Development Area in North Queensland.
The Eris TestFlight 1 is set to be launched in the coming weeks, once launch approval comes from the Australian Space Agency.
Gilmour Space successfully test-launched a hybrid rocket in 2016 and two years later in 2018 the company secured a deal to work with NASA on various space research, development and education initiatives.
Adam Gilmore said the new spaceport would be a launch pad “for our global customers to deploy their satellite technologies.”
Low-earth orbit satellites can be used for a variety of purposes, including communications, imagery of the earth, disaster resilience, water management, border protection and Defence.
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