‘We have a cloud, and that’s the end’: first Australian-made orbital rocket crashes shortly after takeoff

While Gilmour Space’s Eris rocket lasted only 14 seconds in the air above Bowen, nascent Australian space industry says failed orbit attempt is a launchpad for future successFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe spaceship hovered for less than a minute before crashing in a giant plume of smoke, but it was history-making nonetheless – the attempted launch of an orbital rocket designed and made in Australia.The Eris rocket was built by Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space and briefly blasted off from the Bowen orbital spaceport in north Queensland on Wednesday morning, after months of waiting for the right conditions. Continue reading…