Gilmour aims for orbit again as Starlink surges continue

From July 14 to 20, 2025, Australia aims for orbit with the Gilmour Eris rocket, while SpaceX launches Starlink and Kuiper satellites, and Europe prepares Vega C’s next mission.
By | Published: July 14, 2025

A stack of 60 Starlink test satellites sit atop a Falcon 9 rocket, moments before deployment. SpaceX plans four more Starlink launches this week as it rapidly expands the constellation. Credit: SpaceX
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Gilmour Space's Eris rocket will attempt its first orbital launch.
  • The Eris rocket uses a hybrid fuel system.
  • A dummy payload will be sent into low Earth orbit.
  • A successful launch would be a major step for Australia's space program.
Key takeaways sponsored by The Space Store

Mission Highlight: Gilmour Eris Testflight 1

After weeks of delays, Australia is finally poised to join the orbital launch club. Gilmour Space Technologies is expected to debut its Eris rocket with a test launch from Queensland’s Bowen Orbital Spaceport no earlier than (NET) July 16. The three-stage rocket, powered by hybrid engines fueled by a mix of solid fuel and liquid oxidizer, will attempt to place a dummy payload of Vegemite into low Earth orbit. If successful, the flight would mark a major milestone for Australia’s growing commercial space sector.

Last week’s recap

On July 8, SpaceX sent another batch of Starlink satellites aloft aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. On Sunday, July 13, a second Falcon 9 launched Dror-1 — an Israeli communications satellite — into a geostationary transfer orbit from Cape Canaveral. Built by Israel Aerospace Industries, Dror-1 is designed to support the country’s communication needs and is expected to operate for at least 14 years in geostationary orbit.

Other missions this week

Tianzhou 9 will launch on July 14 at 5:40 p.m. EDT from Wenchang aboard a Long March 7, carrying fresh cargo and supplies to China’s Tiangong space station.

Starlink Group 15-2 is scheduled to launch July 14 at 10:13 p.m. from Vandenberg SFB aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5, continuing SpaceX’s relentless expansion of its broadband constellation.

Project Kuiper (KF-1) will loft Amazon’s first two prototype satellites for its rival megaconstellation on July 16 at 2:10 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, also on a Falcon 9 Block 5.

Starlink Group 17-3 is expected to launch July 16 at 10:08 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, adding to the constellation’s southeastern orbital shell. Starlink Group 17-2 will follow on July 20 at 10:09 p.m. EDT. Both will be launched by a Falcon 9 Block 5 from Vandenberg SFB.

Looking ahead

Russia’s Soyuz 2.1b will launch the next Ionosfera-M satellites, while Europe’s Vega C rocket returns to flight with the VV27 mission on July 25, 2025. Launching from French Guiana, Vega C will carry four Airbus CO3D satellites for high-resolution 3D mapping and the CNES MicroCarb satellite to monitor atmospheric carbon dioxide. This mission follows Vega C’s successful December 2024 return and marks a key step in restoring Europe’s Earth observation capabilities.

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