“Watch This Space” Gilmour Space Technologies

By Ruth Puddefoot

On the rooftop of a house their grandfather built with his own hands, CEO’s James and Adam Gilmour once traced constellations across the vast Queensland night sky. “Our grandfather… he was really heavy in photography and astrology. I remember him taking me up to the top of the house… to show me constellations that I still recall. And I’ll pass it down now to my daughter,” James recalls.

That childhood fascination, sparked by stargazing with their grandad, a love of science fiction, and a well-worn copy of The Young Scientist Book of Space Flight, became the compass that guided the brothers far beyond backyard dreams, fueling a passion that would take them far from home.

In 2012, they left the familiar behind, quitting their jobs to devote themselves entirely to rockets and satellites. What began as a daring idea quickly gained momentum, and within a decade, Gilmour Space Technologies had grown from an audacious start-up into a pioneering force, pushing the boundaries of Australian spaceflight.

“They could have said, not in our backyard, but they embraced it… the support over the years from Bowen has just been amazing,” James said.

“It is with great pride and satisfaction to realise that within that short time we’re now Australia’s largest space technology employer, devoted solely to building rockets and satellites,” he enthused.

Forging a business with family can be a delicate enterprise, but for the Gilmour brothers, it became a crucible of trust and collaboration. James looks up to Adam as a “role model,” as they navigate the unknown together and stated that it’s great that they have each other.

“We try to profit that the best idea wins… we’ve fought many battles together,” James explained.
Only four years after Gilmour was founded in 2016, the team successfully launched their first rocket. Soon after, they embarked on another major programme, SR0, which unfortunately failed. James explained that the experience proved to be a valuable lesson for the team. Echoing the words of J.F. Kennedy, he reflected:
“We do this not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.”
“We're just getting started, and you know, some of our biggest challenges lay ahead.”
The brothers returned to Bowen with renewed determination, aiming to launch Australia’s first sovereign orbital rocket. Their journey was far from smooth, with regulatory hurdles and technical delays testing the team at every turn. When launch day finally arrived, the rocket soared into the sky, executed precise pad manoeuvres and validated critical systems. Yet an unexpected anomaly prevented a complete mission success. Still, the attempt was far from a failure.

“We did have an anomaly which led to a failure, but we had little or no damage… we’ll be getting a lot of data from this that goes into improving the reliability of future vehicles,” James explained.

Even in the face of setbacks, optimism remains a constant companion. The data collected promises to shape the next generation of rockets, bringing Australia closer to its historic goal of joining the ranks of nations capable of independent orbital flight.

Undeterred, the team is already planning the next chapter. They are investigating the anomaly, preparing for their upcoming suborbital campaign, Tyron, later this year, and raising crucial funds to secure the long-term survival and growth of a homegrown Australian space program. In James’ words:

“Our next steps are to be just generally awesome.”

“I want to get to space. And it'd be nice to have our own right to get to space.”

Behind the ambition is a team of engineers guided by safety, innovation, courage, and perseverance, supporting every decision. James takes pride in watching his young engineers grow into leaders who are shaping the future of Australian aerospace.

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