Bowen Orbital Spaceport launch countdown starts

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Published
28th February 2022

The countdown is on for the launch of the first rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport at Abbott Point with an Operational Works approval issued by Whitsunday Regional Council.

Mayor Andrew Willcox said the approval will allow Gilmour Space Technologies to commence early works on Australia’s first orbital launch facility at the Abbott Point State Development Area. 

“If progress remains on track, then Gilmour Space hope to launch the first rocket from the proposed facility later this year.

"Bowen is located about 20 degrees south of the equator which geographically makes it the ideal location to actually launch rockets and send satellites into space," Mayor Willcox said.

“The construction of the Bowen Orbital Spaceport is exciting for Bowen and will provide an enormous economic and tourism injection for the region.

"It’s exciting to have rockets being launched and there is potential to leverage from this to start the journey making Bowen and Abbot Point a smaller version of America’s Cape Canaveral, the home of the Kennedy Space Center.

"The new $4 million Flagstaff Hill Cultural and Conference Centre in Bowen is the perfect vantage point and looks straight across to the launch site,” Mayor Willcox said

From June 2022, Gilmour Space Group plans to launch two rockets per year until 2025, after which they aim to increase launch frequencies to monthly.

Gilmour Space predicts that up to 92 rocket launches could be conducted from the Spaceport by 2032.

When the facility becomes operational, rockets carrying small satellites will be the most common item launched into low-Earth orbit. 

Satellites forming part of broadband internet constellations are expected to make up a sizeable part of those launches.

The rockets will be manufactured at Gilmour's Gold Coast manufacturing hub before being transported to the Bowen launch site.

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Greg Martin, Communications and Marketing Manager

Phone: 07 4945 0617 or Email: communications@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au