Australian rocket carrying Vegemite crashes seconds after launch

An Australian aerospace company, Gilmour Space Technologies, marked a milestone on Wednesday with the brief but symbolic test launch of its locally built orbital rocket, which carried a jar of Vegemite in its nose cone.

The three-stage Eris rocket managed approximately 14 seconds of flight before crashing back to Earth in a plume of smoke. The 23-metre vehicle was launched from Abbot Point, roughly 1,000 kilometres north of Brisbane, and is intended to eventually deliver small satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Despite the early end to the flight, Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour expressed excitement and relief. “I was so nervous about it getting off the pad, that when it did I screamed in pure joy,” he said.

Video footage showed the rocket barely clearing the launch tower before losing thrust and falling.

The test flight’s payload—a jar of the iconic Australian spread Vegemite—was destroyed during the mission. “I’m sorry to say the Vegemite didn’t make it,” Gilmour admitted.

The company, which employs around 230 people, is already preparing for another test flight within six to eight months and aims to begin commercial launches by late 2026 or early 2027.

Gilmour emphasized the value of even a brief flight, noting, “It’s huge what you can prove with just 10 to 15 seconds of flight time.”