Australia’s attempt to join the space race lasts just 14 seconds

Australia’s attempt to return to space lasted just 14 seconds, after a Wednesday launch barely made it off the ground.

The launch attempt was made by local company Gilmour Space, which readers may remember for scrubbing the launch of its Eris-1 rocket when its fairing fell off deep into the countdown for a May launch attempt.

The company fixed the electrical fault that caused the fairing to fall, returned the rocket to its launch pad and waited for a fine day on which to launch.

That day dawned on July 30th, when at around 08:30 the Eris 1’s engines ignited and burned for 23 seconds, 14 of which saw the craft lift into the air.

Then it crashed, hit the ground, and blew up.

“Got off the Pad, I am happy,” wrote Gilmour Space CEO Adam Gilmour. “Of course I would have liked more flight time but ...