First successful launch of Aussie designed, built and powered rocket

Australia has re-entered the space race with the successful launch of a locally designed, built and powered rocket on the NSW-Queensland border.

Australia has re-entered the space race with the first successful launch of a fully sovereign designed, made and powered rocket in more than 40 years.

The Black Sky Aerospace rocket launch from a site on the NSW-Queensland border on Monday lasted about four minutes, reaching 30,000ft before parachuting successfully back to Earth.

The launch is the first in a four-step process ahead of another launch next year to cross the Karman Line delineation between Earth and space.

Monday’s successful launch, at a purpose built clearing near Goondiwindi, was the second attempt with the mission aborted last September just minutes before launch, due to weather and a series of technical issues.

The Black Sky Aerospace rocket launch was a success.

It is believed to be the first time since 1971 that a locally made, designed and powered rocket, powered with solid rocket fuel, has been launched. The launch was also carrying a commercial payload for a cyber security firm testing connectivity and functionality in a harsh environment of a space launch.

“We set out to get the mission completed and we hit the milestones,” an ecstatic Black Sky CEO and founder Blake Nikolic said, describing his relief, satisfaction and pride in the team.

“There is a lot of hard work and planning so it’s deflating when things don’t go to plan or there are delays but having it go off the way it did … it is exciting now to know we can do everything completely in Australia. A lot of people talk about Australia being late to the game but that’s not the issue, it’s the fact we are now in the game, that’s what is most important.

It is the first time since 1971 that a locally made, designed and powered rocket, powered with solid rocket fuel, has been launched.

“In the grand scheme of things we are a bit late but it’s a very positive pathway … we are expecting to be the first launch provider from Australia to go to space.”

It’s been a meticulous journey for the south east Queensland aero company beginning in 2018 when it made Australia’s first suborbital rocket launch with a commercial payload in a major step in Australia’s fledgling space industry.

Black Sky Aerospace CEO Blake Nikolic.

Mr Nikolic, a former Army pilot and big scale fireworks and explosives expert, said Black Sky had a close eye on defence with the same tech for space as for guided weapons which the Australian government is now keen to establish as a domestic industry.

“This takes that forward as well,” he said, not least of all with homemade solid rocket fuel and avionics.

“There are too many risks to be reliant on other countries. We’ve learnt a lot of things through Covid and with global situations at the moment, the defence side is becoming a very critical element of Australia’s sovereign capability that the Federal Government is looking for.”

He said the knowledge gained from this launch would progress the overall space program.

“It is important for us to treat this in a stepping stone approach, its what we build on every time we do activity, we get more data, characterise the vehicle more, the propellant more,” he said.

“Think of it as rungs of a ladder if any are missing you don’t know how you are going to reach the next level. Each launch progresses to a higher performance, faster performance a longer range and more complex system so this is our ability to test, retest and prove our system so it gives us certainty.”