Representational image of rocket launch
The Eris rocket's inaugural flight will carry a jar of Vegemite and a camera onboard. Pixabay

Australian rocket company Gilmour Space Technologies is set to make history this Thursday morning, with its first attempt to launch an Australian-made rocket, Eris, into orbit.

Late Friday, the Australian Space Agency gave the green light for the company to proceed with the launch of its 25-metre, three-stage Eris rocket from its spaceport located near the Queensland town of Bowen, at the northern tip of the Whitsundays, Australian Financial Review reported.

"The weather forecast looks really good for Thursday to Sunday," Adam Gilmour, the company CEO, said. "We're going to give it a good crack. We've started the launch countdown process already."

The long-anticipated launch is Australia's first orbital attempt in 50 years and positions Gilmour Space as a serious contender in the global commercial space race, aiming to rival giants like Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The Eris rocket is designed to deliver small satellites into low Earth orbit for commercial and government clients. Its inaugural flight will carry a jar of Vegemite and a camera, reports News.com.

With a two-week launch window opening at 7:35am Thursday, the countdown is now underway. The rocket has received final airspace clearance from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the Australian Space Agency.

Key system checks began 36 hours ahead of launch, with engineers inspecting avionics and power systems before moving to fuel and fluid assessments.

Gilmour Space is the first Australian-owned company to design, build, and attempt an orbital rocket launch.

Backed by investors including Blackbird Ventures and superannuation funds HESTA and Hostplus, the company is led by Gilmour, a former Citibank executive who co-founded the business with his brother James.

The company raised AU$55 million, last year, to fund the manufacturing and testing of the Eris rocket.

Gilmour arrived at the launch site on Saturday and will monitor the mission from a control room seven kilometers away. While he acknowledges it's unlikely Eris will reach orbit on its first attempt, he says even 20 to 30 seconds of flight would be a success. A minute or more would send the rocket into the ocean.

According to Gilmour, the company aims to reach orbit by its third launch attempt.

Safety zones covering land, sea, and air will be activated during the launch.

The company has asked media and the public to stay away, although locals may catch a glimpse from nearby beaches. The rocket will be positioned vertically and fueled on Tuesday, as staff work around the clock to complete pre-launch checks.