Gilmour Space completes final qualification test of Sirius hybrid rocket engine

November 8, 2022

Australian rocket engineers at Gilmour Space Technologies have successfully completed the final qualification test-fire of its Sirius hybrid rocket engine, paving the way for the country's first orbital launch attempt of an Australian-made rocket next year.

The Queensland-based launch company is developing Eris, a three-stage rocket that could provide a cost effective and greener alternative to traditional liquid and solid propulsion rockets. 

"What you see here is Sirius, our main hybrid rocket engine, five of which will power the first and second stages of our Eris rocket to orbit in the first half of 2023," said Adam Gilmour, CEO and Co-founder of Gilmour Space.

Sirius is a single-port hybrid rocket engine developed by Gilmour Space, which uses a liquid oxidiser and a proprietary solid fuel.

"As this was a final qualification test, we decided to test our engine to destruction to help us understand the limits of its design," he added. Any findings will help improve the performance of future engines.

"I'm happy to share that the test was a success. Our Sirius engine generated a record 115 kilonewtons (or 25,850 pounds force) of stable and efficient combustion.

"This is the most powerful rocket engine ever developed in Australia; and it achieved its mission duration requirement before failure," he said.  

"All engines are now qualified for our orbital test launch next year."