Gilmour Space to Offer Hypersonic Flight Service for Defence and Science

A hypersonic flight service run by a Gold Coast space company will allow Defence agencies and scientists to test equipment at seven times the speed of sound.

Gilmour Space Technologies plans to fly its first hypersonic rocket from its spaceport in North Queensland by August, pending government approvals.

The sub-orbital rocket is designed to reach the edge of space before descending back to Earth.

Company co-founder James Gilmour said the rocket was about a third the size of ERIS TestFlight1, which made history as the first Australian-made orbital rocket to lift-off after a test in July last year.

"It's got fins, and it doesn't have a payload so, aesthetically, it'll look very different," he said.

"We've seen a unique opportunity to demonstrate that [hypersonic] capability."

In a statement, Gilmour Space said its Hyperflight service would allow clients, including government agencies and Defence organisations, to test technologies such as sensors, aircraft systems, and scientific instruments in "extreme flight environments".

What is hypersonic flight?

Chris James, who studies hypersonic technology at the University of Queensland, said the term was used when vehicles travelled at least five times the speed of sound.

He said sub-orbital technology that reached mach 5 was mostly used for defensive purposes.

"If you've got a hypersonic cruise missile, it can travel further because it can start faster," Dr James said.

Dr James said other commercial and Defence uses included using the rockets to launch and bring hypersonic aircraft up to speed.

Gilmour Space told the ABC it was not testing military weapons.

Defence partnership

The federal government announced in May that the company had received a $75 million investment from the taxpayer-funded National Reconstruction Fund Corporation.

Gilmour Space confirmed the partnership formed part of a larger $217 million investment the company secured in its January funding round.

It said the technology "could enhance the survivability of the Australian Defence Force against potential threats".

Spaceflight progress

Mr Gilmour said his company's primary focus was launching its second orbital rocket by the end of 2026.

"There are just too many satellites to be launched in the next decade and what we're trying to do is solve that problem," he said.

An investigation into ERIS TestFlight1, completed in April, found a fuel pump had stopped working shortly after lift-off due to thermal and electrical faults.

The company's head of avionics, Bryan Greeham, said the review would inform design changes.

"Space is difficult," he said.

"It's a complex technical problem and setbacks, failures of rocket flights are the norm.

"It won't be long, I think, before Australia has an orbital-launch capability."