Australia opens Spaceport in Queensland

Australia has opened its first spaceport in the state of Queensland.

“We wanted to see Queensland boldly go where no state has gone before, and Gilmour Space Technologies is now doing just that.”, said a press release on the Queensland Government website.

“Never before has an Australian-made, Australian-owned rocket launched into orbit anywhere in our nation, and it’s Queenslanders – backed by the Miles Labor Government – making history.“

Rockets have been launched from Down Under before, most notably the Black Arrow, Britain’s shot at an orbital space program. Spoiler- it worked out technologically, but not politically. The country’s remoteness and its outback gives 

What makes the Bowen spaceport amazing is what will be launched from it. It will play host to the first launch of an Australian-made, orbital class rocket, the Eris by Gilmour Space Technologies. This makes Gilmour the third private space company to have its own launchsite.

While Australia still has some distance to go before being able to compete with the likes of China, Russia and the USA, this marks a significant milestone in the revival of the Australian space industry. The dream of Black Arrow lives on!