Gilmour Space Technologies has completed a crucial wet dress rehearsal at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, marking a step toward the launch of Australia’s first locally-made orbital rocket, set to take place later this year.
The wet dress rehearsal involved loading the Eris rocket with propellant and conducting all pre-launch operations up to T-minus 10 seconds before liftoff.
This comprehensive test aimed to validate critical systems, and while minor issues were identified, they are expected to be resolved in the coming weeks.
David Doyle, Gilmour Space’s director of Launch Vehicles and Satellites, commented on the test’s success.
“I cannot overstate the significance of what we’ve accomplished, with only minimal issues detected,” Doyle said.
“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.”
The test revealed two faulty valves and minor software reconfigurations, which will be corrected before launch.
Gilmour Space is now awaiting launch permit approval and airspace management clearances from relevant agencies, with Eris expected to be ready for liftoff once these approvals are granted.
Test Highlights:
Launch vehicle:
- All propellant tanks and pressure vessels across the three stages were filled.
- Autonomous tank pressure management systems were verified.
- All 16 vernier thrusters were tested.
Ground systems:
- Propellant storage, filling, and de-tanking operations performed as expected.
- Radio frequency communications with the rocket were confirmed.
Range operations:
- Remote operation of the rocket and ground systems from the Launch Control Centre was successful.
- Airspace restrictions were implemented, and ground exclusion zones were maintained.
- The team completed 24/7 operational cycles to ensure readiness.
