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Gilmour Space Technologies Secures Space Machines Company as Launch Customer

By Annamarie Nyirady | September 9, 2020

Photo: Gilmour Space Technologies

Gilmour Space Technologies revealed on Wednesday that it has secured Space Machines Company as a customer for its maiden Eris rocket launch in 2022. The company has closed two commercial launch contracts within the past several months, and aims to launch 12 rockets a year by 2025, according to Gilmour Space Technologies co-founder and CEO Adam Gilmour.

Gilmour Space Technologies is an Australian company building hybrid rockets to help meet the world’s growing demand for small rocket launches. Its first Eris rockets will be launching payloads up to 305 kilograms (kg) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), 215 kg into 500 kilometer (km) sun-synchronous orbits, or 305 kg into 500 km equatorial orbits. In early 2018, Gilmour Space Technologies tested full-scale orbital engines.

Space Machines Company has contracted to launch a 35-kg spacecraft to orbit, the largest payload announced to date by an Australian space company. Space Machines Company is an Australian startup that is developing in-space transportation capabilities to cost-effectively insert small satellites into LEO, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and cis-lunar (Moon) orbits.

“Startups like Space Machines Company are gearing up to launch their innovative new products and services to market. But getting to space is still a big challenge for small-payload customers, particularly if they need access to specific orbits or inclinations,” said Gilmour.