The “Iris” project places Australia in the ranks of major space forces

The space race is resumed again, and this time there are much more players compared to the previous space race, and the risks are greater than during the Cold War. Many countries have been involved in this new space race. Among these countries is Australia, which is striving to catch other competitors in this vital race.

Gilmore Space Technologies is a leader in the local space industry in Australia. The world was dazzled by the launch of “Jillor” of the Iris missile on July 30. The first homemade Australian missile, “Iris”, was scheduled to launch from the Bowen Tribal Space Port in the state of “Queensland”, registering an important achievement, but unfortunately, the missile was destroyed just 14 seconds of launch.

Gilmore was established in 2013 by the two brothers Adam and James Gilmour in Gold Coast, Queensland, and became a leader in the Australian space industry. With more than 200 employees and investments from companies such as “Blackbird Ventures”, the company specializes in hybrids carrying small satellites. And its slogan is “all orbits, all planets.”

Previous attempts to launch the missile were aborted. In May, the launch was canceled due to problems in the external structure, and earlier this month, Australia postponed the launch due to the tropical hurricane «Alfred». The CEO of the company, Adam Gilmour, described this result as “fruitful”, focusing on data to improve performance, while planning to launch the second test journey within six to eight other months.

The importance of the project

The Australian Space Agency reactivated Australia’s 2018 satellite efforts, and relied on foreign launch operations. The Eris missile meets sovereignty needs in a tense geopolitical climate, which provides independent access to the defense, telecommunications and land monitoring satellites.

Economically, this project stimulates the creation of job opportunities and the growth of industry, which is intense.

For example, a $ 52 million federal grant, offered in 2022 to the Australian Space Manufacturing Network, contributed to strengthening local supply chains. As a result, Queensland appears as a space center that attracts investments. Interestingly, the Iris project provides the service to share trips and services available on the “Elaras” platform.

Technologically, the project develops hybrid payment, 3D printing and high technological innovation in general, and in line with the Australian space agency goal of $ 12 billion by 2030, the “Gilmore Space Eris” project places Australia in the ranks of leading countries such as China and the United States.

Moreover, the Australians will be able, as soon as they solve their missile problems, to strengthen the comprehensive national defense of America in the strategic field of space by sharing the burdens with Washington in the main areas where the Australian space interests overlap with American interests.

The Iris missile is embodied by the Australian Space Space Renaissance Company, and the missile crash after taking off on July 30 is only a temporary complexity. The necessary lessons will be extracted from it, allowing Australia to continue its path to become a major space force. As the inevitable improvements to the “Iris” program continue the missile to success, it guarantees Australia a leading space.

Significant progress

Adam Gilmour said, “He hopes that the next missile will enter the orbit, and that the next missile will carry a commercial satellite.” He continued, “We want to launch four missiles annually, then eventually more than 12 missiles annually.” Space experts said that the launch that occurred last Wednesday is a great progress despite its failure.

Gilmore has the support of a special investment capital, and has received support from the Australian government to finance the “Iris” project, which is described as the first tropical commercial missile in the country.

“The attempt was a great achievement,” said Paulo de Souza, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Edith Kuan, Paulo de Souza, who previously worked with NASA. He added, “It is almost impossible to achieve success from the first time. I am sure that the team collected a lot of data to help it understand what can be improved. ”

De Souza added, “Investors in (Gilmour) are well aware of the difficulty of this process, they realize that it is a risky endeavor, and the failure is part of the work until it is mastered.”

“It was the best attempt to launch the first he saw, and every party fired missiles into space, its success on explosive failure.”

Horner added that more than one company is looking to build capabilities for space flights in northern Australia. He said: «If you are closer to the equator, you will get great help than the Earth’s rotation, this facilitates access to orbit.

Horner indicated that it is possible to anticipate a satellite from Australia within a reasonable period.

Strong support

Initial data confirms that the main systems of the missile worked well until the imbalance, including ignition, take off, pay the first stage, track the range, and measurement of distance. The team is now reviewing the flight data to understand the cause of the imbalance that led to the early termination, with the application of the lessons already learned on the next vehicle, which is still under production.

The July 30 mission represents the culmination of years of the effort made by a team of more than 200 people, more than 500 Australian suppliers, strong support from the government and the industrial sector, and close coordination with the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Space Services Authority, the marine authorities, and others. It is the next step in the “Gilmore” mission to provide low -cost and fast -wearing services for small satellites, and it is a ability to demand it globally.

And the project team is in the process of studying the flight data to take advantage of the lessons and avoid errors when launching the next “Iris” missile, with plans to launch it again within months. “Every test, especially the first, is an opportunity to learn,” said Adam Gilmour. Congratulations to our gifted team on our arrival at this stage. The front towards the next launch. ” About National Interest

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Real test

“Only six countries currently launch satellites to orbit regularly, and only a few of them develop local capabilities to join them,” said Adam Gilmour. He continued, “We have taken a big step towards joining this group.”

After the last launch, Gilmour admitted, “The space is difficult.”

He continued: «(Space X and Rochet Lab) needed in the United States and others on multiple experimental trips to reach orbit. We have learned a lot to be used directly to improve our next vehicle that we have already started to produce. ”

“The launch from the platform is a huge step forward for any new missile program,” Gilmour added. This was the first real test of our missile systems, our payment technology, and our satellite launch station, and we have proven that many of what we have been successful. ”

Gilmour explained that «Iris missile, which is designed by our company, uses a special hybrid payment technology, which is safer and less expensive than traditional and steel fuel. From this standpoint, this is better for the environment than alternative payment methods. ” If it succeeds, Iris may be the first hybrid missile in the world, and this will give Australia the ability to launch.

The emerging company “Gilmour” has tried to carry out several launch operations this year, since it recently obtained the organizational approval of a experimental trip in late 2024, but bad weather conditions and technical problems caused delays.

. The project team is studying the flight data to take advantage of the lessons and avoid errors when the next “Iris” missile is launched, with plans to launch it again within months.