By Ruth Puddefoot
After a few turbulent weeks, Gilmour Space Technologies is back on track with its Eris TestFlight1 mission, following the successful resolution of a payload fairing issue that led to two launch scrubs earlier this month.
Now back on the pad at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, the Eris rocket has had a new payload fairing installed and has entered the next phase of launch preparations, with system testing currently underway. A revised “No Earlier Than” (NET) launch target of 1 July has been confirmed via Gilmour Space Technologies’ Facebook page, sparking renewed excitement.
The root cause of the delays was traced to an unexpected power surge during a routine vehicle shutdown on 15 May. The surge, believed to have resulted from electrical backfeed from downstream devices, triggered the payload fairing system and caused it to separate prematurely. While shutdowns are a standard part of launch operations, the fairing system is a single-use mechanism and had never been activated in previous testing in order to preserve its reliability. Unfortunately, this meant the fault went undetected until the rocket was fully prepped for launch.
It has been a challenging period for the team, who were just moments away from entering the fuelling stage of the countdown. Despite thorough rehearsals and checks, Gilmour explained this was the first time the separation mechanisms had been fully energised, meaning they were pressurised and armed for flight. The experience became a valuable, albeit costly, learning curve.
A replacement fairing was promptly shipped from Gilmour Space’s Gold Coast facility and has now been fitted. Following an internal investigation, the company implemented both hardware and software changes to prevent a recurrence. They even joked that, despite early suspicions, the culprit wasn’t the curious cockatoo spotted poking around the wiring.
While a June launch had been the initial goal, recent weather conditions delayed those plans. The revised NET launch date remains subject to weather, wind and ongoing system checks.
Despite the setbacks, optimism remains high at the Queensland-based launch startup. The recent success of ElaraSat, Gilmour’s satellite developed in collaboration with CSIRO and launched via SpaceX and Exolaunch, marked a major milestone. ElaraSat is now in orbit, with tracking and commissioning support currently being provided by LeoLabs and KSAT.
Gilmour Space’s journey with Eris TestFlight1 forms part of Australia’s growing footprint in the global space sector. Scrubs and technical hiccups are said to be all part of the process, especially with new vehicles, but each delay brings valuable lessons that help shape a stronger path ahead.
The countdown continues.
Bowen rocket set to launch
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