Rocket launch: Gilmour Space Technologies ‘disappointed’ by failed rocket launch

A Gold Coast company’s plan to launch a satellite into space has had a ‘disappointing’ setback.

A GOLD Coast company’s plan to launch a satellite into space has had a ‘disappointing’ setback.

Gilmour Space Technologies attempted on Monday to launch its One Vision suborbital rocket from a site in the state’s west.

But the Helensvale-based company has revealed that a technical failure just seven seconds before the test launch meant it could not go ahead.

The One Vision rocket at the launch site. Picture: Gilmour Space

“At T-7 seconds to launch, the test rocket suffered an anomaly that resulted in the premature end of this mission,” company chief executive Adam Gilmour said.

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“Initial investigations show that a pressure regulator in the oxidiser tank had failed to maintain required pressure, and this anomaly resulted in some damage to the tank and rocket.

“There was no explosion due to the safe nature of hybrid rocket engines, and no observable damage to the engine.”

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James and Adam Gilmour with their One Vision rocket. Picture: Tim Marsden

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The launch was to be a test of the Coast company’s proprietary orbital-class hybrid rocket engine and demonstrate its mobile launch capability.

The rocket and launch team had travelled more than 1800km.

Mr Gilmour said the mobile launch platform and mission control centre had both been successfully tested.

“Our team is safe and understandably disappointed not to have completed the mission,” he said.

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“It was a third-party component that failed and we will be following up on the matter with them.

“In any case, rocket engineering is all about testing, failing, learning and rebuilding.

“One Vision was a development and test rocket, and our learnings from here have already informed many of the design features in our next vehicle.”

Mr Gilmour said he was looking ahead to the next launch.

“Gilmour Space will now look to launch an enhanced version of this suborbital rocket in the near future, and test more of the technologies we will require for our orbital launches,” he said.