Australia Plans To Launch A Rocket In 2023

Eris has three stages, designed to carry loads up to 305 kilograms into low Earth orbit. (photo: dock. Gilmour Space)

JAKARTA - Australia is quite different and may even lag behind other developed countries that often launch rockets made by them, but now the country already has a rocket launch schedule.

The rocket, which was carried out by Gilmour Space, is almost complete and will try to be launched into space in April 2023 from a location near Bowen in Queensland. It will be Australia's first orbital spacecraft.

(Technology) outer space is one of the main supporters of society, both for a country to have access to space capabilities where possible, said Gilmour co-founder Adam Gilmour.

The rocket, called Eris, has a height of 23 meters and weighs more than 30 tons. Eris will be powered by five hybrid engines containing dense fuel and liquid oxidation.

Eris has three stages, which is designed to carry loads up to 305 kilograms into low Earth orbit. When compared to SpaceX Falcon 9, the 70-meter-high lift rocket can carry more than 22.000 kilograms into low Earth orbit, provided SpaceX doesn't want to land in the first phase afterward.

Launching New Scientist, Friday, November 25, however, it is not an option for Eris, which has a cheap andcan be discarded design. Furthermore, Gilmour Space plans to use Eris to deploy small satellites in orbit during its April takeoff.

The company has completed initial testing of Sirius' hybrid rocket engine, which uses a combination of solid fuel and liquid oxidation. This is claimed to be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. In testing, Sirius's engine can generate 115 kilonewton thrust.

After perfecting Eris, Gilmour Space plans to develop a rocket that can carry as much as 1,000 kilograms of loads into low Earth orbit.

If Gilmour Space succeeds, Australia will join ranks of other countries that have delivered homemade rockets into space.

Australia will be the 12th country, including the United States (US), Britain, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, France, Israel, India, and Iran.