Gilmour shows off its Eris rocket to PM Albanese

Gilmour Space Technologies today welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to their Gold Coast factory to formally unveil and ‘launch’ the Eris rocket – Australia’s first home-grown orbital launch vehicle.

Albanese said: “This is a great Australian success story.

“A company that began eight years ago but now employs 200 people here at the cutting edge of innovation, science, new technologies, and new jobs.”

Albanese signed the fuselage of the first Australian made rocket that will attempt orbital space launch – something Gilmour said would become a tradition for the company.

Albanese said Gilmour’s hybrid rocket engine technology was one of the first in the world to use a combination of solid and liquid propellants.

“When this rocket goes into space, it will carry 300 companies with it.

“Australia will become the 12th country in the world to be able to have access to this technology – designed, manufactured and built right here and creating high quality jobs.

“This is one of the companies that we’re looking at when we have our National Reconstruction Fund and that whole agenda about a future here made in Australia – making use of an Australian procurement policy to buy Australian and making sure we back Australian science and innovation.

“This is truly an Australian manufacturing success story, and we want more of them.”

The $15 billion NRF will co-invest with industry in creating and expanding manufacturing operations.

CEO of Gilmour Space Adam Gilmour said: “We are proud to have the Prime Minister come see our Australian-made orbital rocket and space manufacturing facility.

“Australia must have its own sovereign launch and satellite technologies if we are serious about growing our capabilities in defence, communications, and advanced manufacturing. Gilmour Space is at the leading edge of these technologies.”

Gilmour said both the state and federal governments had been great supporters of the space industry in Queensland.

“The team is working hard toward the first test launch of our Eris rocket later this year from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in north Queensland.”

Further reading:
National Reconstruction Fund bill passes lower house

Picture: Gilmour Space/Anthony Albanese with Adam Gilmour