The Sovereign Australian Prime Alliance (SAPA) has welcomed the signing of the Australian Government’s first-ever orbital launch permit by Ed Husic, minister for industry and Science.
The permit, granted to SAPA member Gilmour Space, paves the way for the company’s maiden flight of its three-stage rocket to be launched from the company’s Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northern Queensland. The approval is testament to Australia’s sovereign prime capability to execute intricate, multi-year programs for national defence and space initiatives—including end-to-end phases of design, manufacturing, testing, and operational deployment of advanced aerospace systems, including sovereign orbital rockets and launch, in Australia.
It comes at a time when the Government and Defence face growing strategic threats in the region—articulated in the Defence Strategic Review—underscoring their commitment to pursuing sovereign capabilities in critical technologies, domestic manufacturing, and resilient supply chains.
Today, only seven nations in the world have sovereign launch capabilities. Australia will be the eighth. The Eris launch vehicle began as an entirely Australian design concept which was brought to life at Gilmour’s advanced manufacturing facility on the Gold Coast.
Achieving minimum viable capability is a crucial step toward a proven, operational system that will meet Australia’s immediate and future strategic needs. When Eris launches in the coming months, it will represent Australia’s entry into the space race and provide a compelling example of what Australia’s genuinely sovereign Space and Defence Industry can achieve at scale.
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