First Australian-made rocket crashes shortly after lift-off

The launch of Australia's first domestically produced orbital rocket, the Booster 2C, ended in a crash shortly after lift-off. The rocket, developed by the private company Gilmour Space Technologies, was intended to reach an altitude of 300 kilometers before deploying a small satellite. However, the launch was aborted after only 14 seconds due to an anomaly in the rocket's systems. Gilmour Space Technologies acknowledged the setback but described the event as a "giant leap" for the country's space industry. Despite the failed launch, the company remains optimistic about the future of Australia's space program. They stated that the data collected during the brief flight would be analyzed to improve the rocket's design and performance for future attempts. The crash highlights the challenges faced by emerging space programs, but Gilmour Space Technologies' commitment to developing a domestic launch capability underscores Australia's growing ambitions in the global space race.