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{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Gilmour Space Technologies
| name = Gilmour Space Technologies
| logo = [[File:Gilmour Space Technologies, Logo.png|150px]]
| logo =
| image = Pimpama Engineering Facility.jpg
| image = Pimpama Engineering Facility.jpg
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Revision as of 16:35, 14 June 2017

Gilmour Space Technologies
Company typePrivate
FoundedJuly 17, 2012; 11 years ago (2012-07-17)
FounderAdam Gilmour
Headquarters
Pimpama, Queensland, Australia 27°49′02″S 153°17′03″E / 27.8171°S 153.2842°E / -27.8171; 153.2842
Key people
  • Adam Gilmour
    (CEO and CTO)
  • Michelle Gilmour
    (Director and Head of Marketing and Communications)
  • James Gilmour
    (Director)
ServicesOrbital rocket launch
Number of employees
28
Websitewww.gspacetech.com

“Gilmour Space Technologies” (also known as Gilmour Space, Gilmour Space Tech or GSpaceTech) is an Australian private space company with a subsidiary in Singapore. Headquartered in Queensland, Australia, the company is developing new hybrid-engine rockets and associated technology to support the development of a low-cost space launch vehicle[1].

Its stated mission is to provide affordable space launch services to the region’s fast-growing small satellite industry – beginning with commercial a sounding rocket in fourth quarter 2018; and small satellites (or payloads up to 380 Kg) to Low Earth Orbit or LEO by the end of 2020. Eventually, the company is also looking to provide low-cost space access for human spaceflight and exploration[2].

FOUNDING

Gilmour Space Tech was founded in 2012 in Singapore by former banker, Adam Gilmour. In 2013, the Australian CEO & Founder set up similar operations in Queensland, Australia with his brother James Gilmour[3].

The company’s first project in 2013 was to design and manufacture high-fidelity spaceflight simulators and replicas for a number of space-related exhibits[4], and education centers, including Spaceflight Academy Gold Coast, Australia’s first astronaut training center[3]. It began its rocket development program in fourth quarter 2014; and within 18 months, successfully launched Australia and Singapore’s first privately developed hybrid test rocket using proprietary 3D printed fuel[5]. The Gilmour brothers have also met with NASA officials at the Kennedy Space Center to discuss launch opportunities[6].

TECHNOLOGY

ROCKET ARCHETYPE

Rasta vehicle accelerating along launch rail after engine ignition.

Gilmour Space Tech employs a proprietary hybrid rocket motor technology. A hybrid-propellant rocket utilises a mixture of solid and liquid fuel. Advantages of hybrid rockets include acceptably high specific impulse values with relatively very low complexity and associated risks. In general, hybrid rocket engines are the safest of the three major rocket engines [7] – e.g. as compared to a solid-propellant rocket which is typically propelled by an explosive compound; and a liquid-propellant rocket which typically requires cryogenic fuel storage and complex turbine systems to provide sufficient combustion chamber pressure.

ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

Gilmour Space Tech was listed as a commercial launch vehicle provider when it a successfully [8] launched its first test vehicle, at Westmar, Queensland on June 2016[5]. The RASTA launch vehicle flew to an altitude of 5 Km and was reportedly among the first successful demonstrations of 3D printed rocket fuel in the world[9]. The NOX and ABS hybrid engine used in this launch vehicle was validated in several thrust stand firings before launch[10]. A larger 15cm engine, producing over 400 kg of thrust for a duration of 8-12 seconds, was tested in 2016 using a composite hybrid fuel[11].

A second test launch is scheduled in fourth quarter 2017, and is expected to lead to commercial sounding rocket launches within a year. It will employ a larger scale implementation of the BEM technology. The same engine will be used to support a multi-stage launch vehicle research program as well as Gilmour Space Tech’s ERIS orbital launch vehicle, which is expected to deliver payloads up to 380 Kg to LEO by fourth quarter 2020[1]

FUEL DESIGN

Researchers at Gilmour Space Tech and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a novel multi-material fuel grain printer that supports direct production of a composite fuel grain. Gilmour Space Technologies is the first company in the world to produce a multi-material fuel grain using additive manufacturing[12].

This enables development of unique composite 3d printed fuel enabling high specific impulse (ISP) for a hybrid engine. ISP is a key performance parameter in rocketry. However low ISP has traditional been an inhibitor for the success of any major program featuring a hybrid-propellant rocket.

INTER-PLANETARY RESEARCH

Gilmour Space Tech has also supported a number of proof-of-concept technology projects related to the development of a long-term space habitat. An example is the M.A.R.S (Mars Aqua Retrieval System) [13] rover project, a collaborative educational project at SUTD which received an award at the 2016 ASME international student competition [14]. and was featured in National Geographic’s Exploring Mars exhibit in Singapore. [15].

SPACEFLIGHT SIMULATORS

The company has developed a number of unique high-fidelity spaceflight simulators and replicas, including a 6 degree-of-freedom space plane simulator and space capsule simulator, fighter cockpit trainers, low gravity climb, mission control simulators, and others [16].

In February 2017, the Design Business Chamber of Singapore awarded Gilmour Space Tech with the Singapore Good Design Mark (SG Mark 2017) for excellence in design and quality of its simulators [17].

FUNDING

In fourth quarter 2016, its Singapore business was awarded a grant by the country’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) to develop aerospace-related additive manufacturing capabilities with the SUTD [18].

In May 2017, Gilmour Space Tech secured AUD 5 million in Series A round funding to develop and launch a low-cost launch vehicle for the small payload market. The lead investor was Australian venture capital firm Blackbird Ventures, with co-investors including global venture capital firm 500 Startups and other private investors[1][2].

References

  1. ^ a b c John Mcduling (May 30, 2017). "Blackbird shoots for the moon and Mars with Gilmour Space investment". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Samuel Chan (February 27, 2017). "five questions with Gilmour Space Technologies". The Straights Times. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Andrew Potts (June 17, 2016). "Gold Coast company aims for stars at Pimpama". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  4. ^ "Fly like Bert with new Hinkler Hall exhibition". Bundaberg Regional Council. May 25, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Jack Harbour (July 29, 2016). "Gold Coast's first suborbital rocket successfully launched". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  6. ^ Linda Herridge (April 11, 2016). "Prospective partners attend partnership landscape forum at NASA's Kennedy Space Center". NASA. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  7. ^ Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama (March 2010). "Nitrous Oxide/Paraffin Hybrid Rocket Engines" (PDF). NASA Tech Briefs. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  8. ^ Orie Cecil and Joseph Majdalani (December 2016). "Several hybrid rocket technologies hit advanced test stages". Aerospace America. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  9. ^ Irene Tham (August 3, 2017). "3D Printing taking off in emerging 'space' in Singapore". The Straits Times. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  10. ^ Gilmour Space Technologies (March 2, 2016). "Nitrous Oxide/ ABS test firing 002 - 2/3/2016". youtube. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  11. ^ Gilmour Space Technologies (November 3, 2016). "BEM004 Development Firing Highlight Reel". youtube. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  12. ^ Tyler Koslow (February 27, 2017). "3D printed Rocket Fuel". 3Dprint.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  13. ^ Eric Mack (August 25, 2015). "Designing a rover to mine for water on Mars". New Atlas. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  14. ^ SUTD-MIT IDC (2016). "Grand prize winner for Team MARS at ASME". SUTD-MIT International Design Centre. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  15. ^ Mohamed Firdaus Al-amin (November 11, 2016). "Five things to try at the Experience Mars showcase". The New Paper. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  16. ^ "Space Flight Academy". Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  17. ^ Design Business Chamber of Singapore (2017). "Singapore Good Design 2017". Bundaberg Regional Council. Retrieved June 2, 2017. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ Lester Kok (January 23, 2017). "National cluster helps companies tap on new 3D printing technologies". NTU News Releases. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
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