First Australian-Made Rocket Crashes After 14 Seconds of Flight

Australia's first domestically built rocket, Eris, designed by Gilmour Space Technologies to carry small satellites, attempted an orbital launch. The 23-meter rocket lifted off from Queensland on Wednesday morning local time. Videos showed the rocket clearing the launch tower and hovering before falling out of sight. Plumes of smoke indicated the rocket's descent. Thankfully, no injuries were reported from the incident. The company declared the mission a success, citing the ignition of all four hybrid-propelled engines. They also noted 23 seconds of engine burn time and 14 seconds of actual flight. CEO Adam Gilmour expressed satisfaction with the engine performance despite the short flight duration. He acknowledged the rarity of a private company achieving orbit on its initial attempt. Local officials viewed the launch as a significant step towards establishing a regional commercial space industry.