GOLD COAST, 17 May 2023 – Gilmour Space Technologies today welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to their Gold Coast factory to formally unveil and ‘launch’ the Eris rocket – Australia’s first home-grown orbital launch vehicle.
“This is a great Australian success story. A company that began eight years ago but now employs 200 people here at the cutting edge of innovation, science, new technologies, and new jobs,” said the Prime Minister as he toured Gilmour Space’s sovereign manufacturing facility, and started a new tradition of signing off Australian rockets before launch.
“You’re looking at the first Australian made rocket that will attempt orbital space launch.
“When this rocket goes into space, it will carry 300 companies with it. Australia will become the 12th country in the world to be able to have access to this technology… designed, manufactured and built right here and creating high quality jobs.
“This is one of the companies that we’re looking at when we have our National Reconstruction Fund and that whole agenda about a future here made in Australia – making use of an Australian procurement policy to buy Australian and making sure we back Australian science and innovation.
“Australia can compete with the rest of the world. What we need to do is to back our businesses that are doing it.
“This is truly an Australian manufacturing success story, and we want more of them.”
Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space, said: “We are proud to have the Prime Minister come see our Australian-made orbital rocket and space manufacturing facility.
“Australia must have its own sovereign launch and satellite technologies if we are serious about growing our capabilities in defence, communications, and advanced manufacturing. Gilmour Space is at the leading edge of these technologies.
“Both the State and Federal governments have been great supporters of the space industry here in Queensland, and we appreciate their ongoing support for Australian innovation, high-tech jobs, and manufacturing.
“The team is working hard toward the first test launch of our Eris rocket later this year from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in north Queensland. Only 11 nations have launched their own rockets into orbit, and our efforts will help to build a significant dual-use capability for Australia.”
Gilmour Space Technologies is a private Australian-owned company based on the Gold Coast in Queensland.
