Australia's First Commercial Orbital Rocket To Launch From Bowen
The Whitsundays is famous for boats, seaplanes, jetskis, and helicopters, but nearby, Bowen is about to make waves in a whole new way. While Airlie Beach will always be Australia’s gateway to the Whitsundays, but Bowen is set to become Australia’s gateway to space! Queensland-based aerospace company Gilmour Space Technologies has chosen Airlie Beach's neighbour, Bowen, as the launch site for Australia's first commercial orbital rocket.
Though the official launch date is still TBD, excitement is already building across the region. Here’s what you need to know about this milestone event!.
Bowen Rocket Launch
Later this year, Gilmour Space Technologies will make history by launching Australia’s first homemade orbital rocket, Eris, into space. Eris will be tasked with delivering satellites into orbit, marking the first orbital rocket launch from Australia in over 50 years - the last being the UK’s Black Arrow.
This Australian-made rocket will launch from the brand-new Bowen Orbital Spaceport, putting the Whitsunday region on the global space map! Locals and tourists will surely flock to Bowen for the exciting event. If you time your holiday right, you could be soaking up the Whitsunday sun one day and watching a rocket blast into space the next.
Although Gilmour Space Technologies has already received final safety approvals for their Bowen mission, the exact launch date hasn't been announced yet. CEO Adam Gilmour has stated that a launch window will be revealed once documents have been submitted to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Space Agency - so stay tuned!
Where is Bowen Orbital Spaceport?
The Bowen Orbital Spaceport is just an hour’s drive away from the Whitsundays, located about 80km from Airlie Beach. Bowen is probably best known for its beautiful, quiet beaches, and the delicious ‘Bowen Mango’, and along its coast lies the Abbott Point State Development Area - one of very few private orbital launch sites in the world!
This site is perfect for rocket launches, not because only is the tropical backdrop a lot prettier than your standard desert launch site, but because its position allows rockets to access low and mid-inclination orbits.
If a trip to Bowen sounds like it might be on the cards soon, take a look through the top free things to do here.
Plan your visit to the Whitsundays
While we wait for an official launch date, it’s a great time to get planning a visit to the Whitsundays. Whether you’re a stargazer, a scuba diver, or a little bit of both, this region has something for everyone. Explore the Great Barrier Reef, sunbake on the famous Whitehaven Beach, and maybe even witness a rocket soar into space. How’s that for the holiday of a lifetime?
Embark on a Whitsundays trip that’s out of this world
You could stick to the skies with a scenic flight over the Reef, a helicopter tour to Whitehaven Beach, or a thrilling skydive. Or, in the spirit of exploration, book a boat tour through the Whitsunday Islands that lets you snorkel, scuba dive, and uncover the magical marine world that lies beneath the Coral Sea's surface. The options are limitless in the Whitsundays.
