
Gilmour
Space to launch Space Machines Company on first Eris
rocket
9 Sept 2020
Gilmour Space Technologies, has
secured the first Australian customer for its maiden
Eris rocket launch in 2022. Space Machines Company has
contracted to launch a 35-kilogram (kg) spacecraft to
orbit, the largest payload announced to date by an
Australian space company.
“This could well be the first
Australian payload to be launched to orbit on an
Australian rocket, from an Australian launch site,” said
Adam Gilmour, co-founder and CEO of Gilmour Space, a
Queensland-based company that is building new hybrid
rockets to meet the world’s growing demand for small
rocket launches.
"We are delighted to be supporting
Gilmour’s first commercial flight and being part of this
important milestone in the development of Australia's
space industry,” said Space Machines Company co-founder
and CEO, Rajat Kulshrestha.
Space Machines Company is an
Australian startup that is developing in-space
transportation capabilities to cost-effectively insert
small satellites into desired low earth orbits (LEO),
geostationary earth orbits (GEO) and Cis-Lunar (Moon)
orbits.
More details about Space Machines
Company and its in-space transportation services will be
announced in the coming months, however, Mr Kulshrestha
revealed: “At 35 kg, this will be one of the largest
spacecraft developed and tested by an Australian space
company.”
The New Space Age
Despite being a late entrant into
the commercial space market, Australia’s pace of growth
has accelerated in recent years with the emergence of
smaller, more agile commercial players looking to tap
into the $500 billion-a-year global space economy.
“Startups like Space Machines
Company are gearing up to launch their innovative new
products and services to market. But getting to space is
still a big challenge for small-payload customers,
particularly if they need access to specific orbits or
inclinations,” said Mr Gilmour.
To meet this global demand,
Gilmour’s first Eris rockets will be launching payloads
up to 305 kg into low earth orbits - 215 kg into 500
kilometres sun synchronous orbits or 305 kg into 500 km
equatorial orbits.
“We’ve closed two commercial launch
contracts in the last few months, and are targeting 12
rockets a year by 2025," he added. "It's clear to us
that the Australian space industry is ready for launch.”
|