Coates supports lift-off of first Australian-made orbital rocket

Gilmour Space Technologies turned to Coates for precision cooling of the Eris rocket’s engines  

In rocket science, short flights can lead to giant leaps forward.

Gilmour Space Technologies recently made history at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, around 1,000 kilometres north of Brisbane, with the first launch of an Australian-made rocket from Australian soil. Achieving around 14 seconds of powered flight, the launch of the Eris rocket marked an exciting moment for Australia’s space industry.

The 23-metre, 30-tonne hybrid rocket was the result of years of development by Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour and his team of more than 200 people, supported by over 500 Australian suppliers – including Coates.

To support the launch infrastructure, Coates Power & HVAC supplied a 200kW chiller and air handling package to cool the rocket’s fuel cells prior to lift-off, helping maintain optimal conditions for the hybrid propulsion system.

“Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program. This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology and our spaceport – and it proved that much of what we've built works,” said Adam. “Coates played an important role in helping us manage thermal conditions. Their team worked closely with ours to deliver reliable cooling both in the hangar and on the pad."

Eris is a three-stage rocket, with the first stage powered by four Sirius hybrid engines. A single Sirius engine powers the second stage, while the third stage uses a Phoenix engine that burns liquid propellants.

“Precision temperature control is critical in launch operations, especially when working with advanced fuel systems,” said Kurt Edwards, National Manager for Coates Power & HVAC.

“The Gilmour engineering team presented us with several challenges – they required low supply air temperatures and low humidity delivered reliably at high pressure. Narrow openings in the structure and proportionally high air volumes meant they needed air handling systems capable of operating at high static pressures, while the requirement to use 100% fresh air and maintain low supply air temperatures year-round added further complexity. With humidity levels in Bowen approaching 80% at times, coil design, flow control and chiller sizing were critical.”

Plans are already underway for the next orbital launch attempt, with Coates’ equipment still on site to provide essential cooling support.

“As an Australian-owned company, Coates was proud to play a small part in supporting another homegrown company,” said Kurt. “It’s an exciting project to be part of and we look forward to supporting Gilmour Space in the next phase of their journey.”