In a major milestone, the Southern Launch Whalers Approach Orbital launch facility in South Australia has secured final environmental approvals for groundwork preceding its inaugural launches slated for late 2025.
With its reputation as an industry leader in end-to-end satellite logistics, Gilmour House has capitalized on the perseverance of its CEO and co-founder, Adam Gilmour, who has patiently awaited final clearances for a maiden voyage spanning several months.
The inaugural Australian launch clearing the way for a successful orbital test flight. has conceived, engineered, built, and successfully implemented the
Since its inception in 2013, the spacetech startup has grown to employ over 200 staff, established a vast network of more than 300 Australian corporations, secured $142 million in venture funding, and earlier this year, successfully attracted support from local, state, and federal governments.
In recent times, the corporation has expanded its capabilities by establishing a state-of-the-art rocket launch pad in North Queensland’s Abbot Point region, officially designated as the Bowen Orbital Spaceport. With its status as one of the rarest personal orbital launch sites worldwide, this facility is poised to offer initial access to a range of low-to-mid inclination orbits.
The 23-metre-tall Eris rocket reached its launch pad in mid-April, having initially aimed to blast off six months prior. The Eris rocket’s moist costume rehearsal, conducted by Gilmour House in September, successfully accelerated the countdown process to just 10 seconds away from launch.
Adam Gilmour declared that the approval marked a pivotal moment in the development of the indigenous-led enterprise.
“With us is a novice astronaut, who will soon embark on Australia’s inaugural orbital test flight using a locally developed rocket launched from our own territory,” he said.
“Our team is reviewing the particulars surrounding the deployment and will provide guidance on the expected launch timeline for Eris TestFlight1 within the next few weeks.”
The inaugural check flight marks the first in a series of carefully planned missions aimed at achieving orbit around Eris, capitalizing on innovative propulsion technologies pioneered by Gilmour.
The corporation also intends to pioneer opportunities in industrial and defence sectors that demand unprecedented velocities exceeding Mach 5, a threshold five times the speed of sound.
Gilmour Space Technologies’ Eris orbital launch vehicle has taken flight from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland.
Southern Launch fires up
On Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, Southern Launch plans to escalate its endeavors for the Whalers Approach Orbital Launch Complex, a staggering 2850 kilometers from its existing base.
The approval covers two launch pad facilities and their associated infrastructure, mirroring those found in high-tech settings such as automobile assembly plants, with features including secure rooms and comprehensive integration capabilities. The initial approvals have been granted for a maximum of 42 launches per year.
The system features auxiliary monitoring and telemetry websites designed to ensure vehicles are continuously tracked from liftoff to payload deployment. The site’s versatile configuration allows for the integration of cutting-edge hypersonic flight testing capabilities, further enhanced by the deployment of land-based monitoring systems to optimize data collection and analysis.
According to Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp, Whalers Approach is renowned for its exceptional versatility as a launch site, capable of supporting direct ascent trajectories spanning elevations from 55 to 177 degrees, including polar, sun-synchronous orbits and inclinations of up to 135 degrees, equivalent to a 45-degree inclination.
It’s clear that a single approach doesn’t fit every situation when entering an area. Advanced spacecraft have been designed for a location permitting diverse launch trajectories and azimuths, thereby enabling area experts to reach their desired destinations.
“The accessibility of space is paramount for human progress, as existing launch sites are operating at near-capacity.” The Whalers’ advantageous orbital launch environment enables swift access to space due to the region’s consistently mild climate, minimal marine and aerial traffic.
Southern Launch enhances its suborbital Koonibba Check Vary capability for commercial operation. The rocket is capable of conducting suborbital launches, as well as retrieving data and expertise from the return area following several orbital missions planned for 2025.
The VS-02 launch attempt took place at the Whalers Approach Orbital Launch Complex in 2022.
