Gilmour Space has successfully completed a major wet dress rehearsal, marking a key milestone towards the launch of the country’s first Australian-made orbital rocket later this year.
During the test that took place at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland, the Eris rocket was safely loaded with propellant and all launch procedures were executed up to T-10 seconds before liftoff.
The full rehearsal validated the performance of critical systems.
Within the Launch Vehicle, All propellant tanks and pressure vessels across the three stages were successfully filled with fluids and high-pressure gases. The onboard autonomous tank pressure management systems were verified and all 16 vernier thrusters were tested.
The ground systems, including propellant storage, filling, and de-tanking operations, performed as expected. Radio frequency communications with the launch vehicle were also successfully tested.
Additionally, range Operations were tested which showed the rocket and ground systems were operated remotely from the Launch Control Centre. Airspace Temporary Restricted Areas were activated and maintained ground exclusion zones. 24/7 operational cycles were also completed to ensure team readiness and system reliability.
Within the test, only minor issues were identified, including two faulty valves and some minor software reconfigurations.
These are expected to be resolved before the first flight, currently pending launch permit approval and airspace management clearances from the relevant agencies.
“I cannot overstate the significance of what we’ve accomplished, with only minimal issues detected,” said director of Launch Vehicles and Satellites at Gilmour Space, David Doyle.
“This was the final major test to validate the readiness of our rocket, ground systems and crew, while allowing us to address any concerns ahead of launch day.
“At this stage, we expect to resolve all identified issues in the coming weeks. Pending approvals and other unforeseen events, Eris should be ready to launch as soon as we get the green light.”
Eris, Australia’s first sovereign-made orbital rocket, at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in QLD.