Gilmour Space has concluded its investigation into the maiden flight of Australia's first orbital rocket, Eris TestFlight1.
Eris TestFlight1 lifted off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport on 30 July 2025, marking a major step forward for Australia's sovereign space capability. The vehicle subsequently experienced an in-flight anomaly, resulting in the vehicle being lost within the designated safety area.
Our investigation found that approximately nine seconds after ignition, one of the four first-stage hybrid rocket motors experienced a loss of thrust. A second motor exhibited similar behaviour at around 17 seconds, reducing vehicle performance and bringing the mission to an early end.
Analysis identified two independent failure modes originating from the oxidiser pump subsystem. Electrical and thermal faults were observed in the electric pump motors and associated inverters, including components sourced from an external supplier. We now have a clearer understanding of the underlying causes.
Based on the findings of the investigation, design, qualification, and process improvements are being evaluated and implemented.
As with all first test flights, the mission was designed to generate flight data and uncover conditions not fully replicable in ground testing. Data from this flight is already informing updates to vehicle design and operations as we prepare for our next planned missions later this year.
A final report has been submitted to the Australian Space Agency in coordination with the Office of the Space Regulator.
