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.

SAPA says 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 - and 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,” notes SAPA.

“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.”

As reported by iTWire, the Australian Government authorised the Gold Coast startup Gilmour Space Technologies to launch its Eris 1 launch vehicle from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport at Abbot Point, Queensland.

About SAPA

The Sovereign Australian Prime Alliance (SAPA) is an informal grouping of large Australian prime contractors comprising:

• AUSTAL (ASX: ASB) – Australia’s global shipbuilder;
• DroneShield (ASX: DRO) – Australia’s world leader in counter-drone solutions;
• Gilmour Space – Australia's leading venture-capital-backed space technology company;
• Macquarie Technology Group (ASX: MAQ) – Australia’s data centre, cloud, cyber security and telecom company; and
• NIOA Group – Australia’s largest family-owned global munitions company.

In aggregate, SAPA represents significant human resources (i.e. combined workforce approximately 3,000), financial capital (i.e. combined valuation over AU$5 billion), and technical capability developed through years of investment into research and development (e.g. registered patents).

Since forming in 2022 SAPA has advocated the important economic and social contributions sovereign Australian prime contractors provide the Australian economy – including to Australian SMEs – and to push for genuine sovereign capability in areas that are critical to Australia’s technological, national security and defence interests.