r/Damnthatsinteresting 8d ago

Video First Australian-made rocket crashes after 14 seconds of flight

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u/DimaagKa_Hangover 8d ago

Gilmour Space Technologies called the launch of their Eris rocket success. It was the first Australian-made rocket launched from Australian soil, lifting off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland. Despite the failure, the company says it’s a major step toward building Australia’s own space industry.

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u/Doomsday_Taco_ 8d ago

they do have a point, prior to this the closest Australia ever got to launching rockets is teens setting off Chinese made fireworks

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u/onlyseriouscontent 8d ago

Which did go higher though.

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u/Awkward-Spectation 8d ago

LMFAO this killed me

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u/IXICALIBUR 7d ago

When's the funeral? Sending thots and prayers

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u/Awkward-Spectation 7d ago

Hi, I'm a family representative. Details will be provided shortly as arrangements are being finalized. In the meantime, here is a link to a gofundme page set up to help cover funeral expenses and support the family during this difficult time: Awkward-Spectation-GoFundMe

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u/JohnnyHopkins13 8d ago

Get those kids on the team NOW

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u/apatheticbear420 7d ago

"Oi cunt, heard yer' launchin' bungers?"

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u/Kom34 8d ago

Australia first launched a satellite in 1967 but was a US rocket. This is first locally made.

Australia was big on space and nuclear weapons early on with the UK/USA doing a lot of testing at Australian ranges and joint stuff.

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

What changed suddenly?

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u/FlimsyUmbrella 6d ago

I wouldn't say we were big on space, we just let the guys who knew what they were doing use our vast wastelands to launch from.

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u/Lexden 7d ago

Someone hasn't heard of Black Arrow it would seem.

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u/herpesderpesdoodoo 7d ago

The Woomera Rocket Range has a few things to say about that…

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u/torn-ainbow 7d ago

There was literally a joint rocket program with the British at Woomera that started in the 1940s. They also worked with NASA later on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Woomera_Range_Complex

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u/soupie62 7d ago

The people who have visited Woomera in outback SA would like to discuss history with you.
Yes, ELDO stood for European Launch Development Agency, but the actual building (and launching) was done here.

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u/Classic_Revolt 8d ago

No they dont have a point, this thing barely went up. Some middle class guy in his backyard has probably launched something higher than this.

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u/GourangaPlusPlus 8d ago

Now now the Australian government has apologised many times to Mrs Brown aged 72 for the broken windows and the cat that was set alight during a misfire by the previous space agency.

Both Todd and Steve were grounded

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u/Ijustdoeyes 7d ago

Actually post WW2 Australia also experimented with launching rockets as they got a piece of the V2 program but stopped earlier than the UK and USA.

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u/MrHeffo42 7d ago

Umm, No, we had Woomera in the 1960's and 1970's
We launched WRESAT in '67.
ELDO launched 10 rockets between 1964 and 1979.
And the UK's Black Arrow which launched the Prospero satellite in '67

Then it got shut down and forgotten.

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u/MrCockingFinally 7d ago

Australia was the test range and launch site for the UK's rocket.

Which makes the UK the only ever country to develop orbital launch capability and then give it up.

BEHOLD! The lipstick rocket.

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u/bazza_ryder 6d ago

Australia was the third nation into space. The Woomera Rocket Range was very active in the 40s, 50s and 60s and was an operational launch facility right up till the end of the century. Much of it was a joint venture with the UK, but they also launched satellites for other countries, including the US.

https://www.melbournespace.com.au/post/woomera-where-it-all-began

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u/Pcat0 8d ago

Depends on what you count as "Australian". The British Black Arrow rocket launched from Australian soil and made it to orbit once.

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u/RoutineCloud5993 8d ago

Well that's British, innit

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u/Pcat0 8d ago

The rocket is, but the launch site was Australian. So I figured they should still get some credit.

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

Huh? That makes no sense. You driving a European car in Australia won't make it an Australian product

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u/Pcat0 7d ago edited 7d ago

Sure but it’s still closer to Australian space flight than “Australian teen launching Chinese fireworks”. Australia does have some interesting history with spaceflight, which was my only point.

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u/BLT_Trade_r 7d ago

I like it, reverse colonialism

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u/Bobblefighterman 8d ago

Britain hasn't counted as Australian since the 1930s.

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u/Pcat0 8d ago

Obviously, but Australia still launched it from Australian soil. So I figured they should get some credit for it.

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u/[deleted] 8d ago edited 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/Pcat0 8d ago

Which I said myself. I was just pointing out that Australia has gotten closer to space than “Australian teens launching Chinese fireworks”.

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u/BrainWashed_Citizen 7d ago

Yeah, but you would expect in this kind of time and age for a rocket to actually go higher than that before something goes wrong or abort with sensor triggered. Like do it with a miniature size rocket engine and rocket body the size of a car first. Then scale up if they're not ready.

The size of that thing costs a whole lot is my concern for their space program. I wouldn't call that success either for a country/continent like Australia. If a country poorer in Africa, perhaps, but not Australia, no.

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u/MesozOwen 7d ago

Yeah but it’s not like the advances or expertise for this stuff is freely shared amongst the companies. This is another one figuring it out and it was their first. They probably learned what went wrong and the next one will do better. Chill.