Australia could launch its first private orbital rocket within weeks

Within weeks, the Australian government is expected to approve the country’s first private orbital rocket launch, joining just a handful of space-faring nations that have done the same.

Gilmour Space Technologies, which has developed the new rocket, this week announced it had gained operational approval from the Australian Space Agency (ASA) for the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland. It has also set a goal of having Australian astronauts in orbit, launched from Australia by the end of this decade.

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