A Queensland space company is set to make history after being given the green light to launch Australia’s first commercial orbital rocket.
Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies, said he was notified by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) earlier today that the permit to launch their 25-metre rocket from Bowen, a small north Queensland town, into low Earth orbit had been granted.
“I got a call from the head of the regulatory department of the space agency, and then about five minutes later, I got an email from the space agency saying that Minister [Ed] Husic had approved the permit today,” Mr Gilmour said.
Mr Gilmour said they had originally planned to launch earlier this year but were prohibited from doing so without approval from the ASA.
“To be honest, when he called, I thought: ‘Uh-oh, here’s something else I’ve got to do before I get the permit’, but he said: ‘The permit’s done’ — I was almost in shock, I think,” he said.
“I thought we should have got the permit in March this year, so every month after that has just been dragging out.”
Gilmour Space Technologies had hoped to launch the rocket in March. (Supplied: Gilmour Space Technologies)
Getting a launch permit not easy
Under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018, a permit must be obtained from the ASA before a rocket can be launched from Australian soil.
Applicants need to satisfy a range of criteria in order to secure a permit including ensuring that any harm to the public or damage to property is as low as reasonably practicable.
Failure to do so can result in serious penalties, including a fine and even jail time.
But Mr Gilmour said when he and his brother, James Gilmour, set out to be the first to build a rocket of its kind in Australia almost a decade ago, he never imagined that getting a permit would be the most difficult part.
“In my wildest dreams, I didn’t think it’d take this long,” he said.
“I honestly thought the environmental approval [to launch a rocket over the Great Barrier Reef] would take the longest, and we got that well over a year ago.”
Brothers Adam (left) and James Gilmour founded the Queensland-based space company in 2013. (Supplied: Gilmour Space Technologies)
The company was also granted a launch facility licence for its Bowen Orbital Spaceport at Abbot Point in March where the rocket is housed.
Lift-off hoped for next month
Despite the approval seven months after originally hoped, Mr Gilmour was optimistic that they would launch by the end of the year.
“No earlier than 30 days from today we’re allowed to launch, but there are conditions on the permit and we’ve just got to go through those,” he said.
“We do think we’ve got a good chance of launching at the end of the 30-day period, and we’re going to give it a red hot go.”
In the meantime, Mr Gilmour said they were planning a party for Wednesday to celebrate before getting down to work.
“It’s been a very long journey, a very painful journey. A lot of work’s gone into this … and everyone’s really happy.”
