The New Frontier

Just over a decade ago two brothers had a dream. James and Adam Gilmour wanted to establish a company that could build rockets on the Gold Coast. At the time there was very little to speak of in terms of a space industry in Australia and many doubted that the dream would ever become a reality.

In 2022 the dream is not only a reality, but a thriving enterprise that’s about to launch its first satellite via their hybrid powered propulsion technology. The stellar growth of Gilmour Space Technologies mirrors the space industry domestically, which has literally skyrocketed since the establishment of the Australian Space Agency in 2018.

“Australia was the last OECD country to instigate a national agency, but at long last governments can see the potential and there’s been a tremendous shift in support for what we’re doing,” James Gilmour says.

James Gilmour

History in the making

Reflecting on how far the two brothers have come in that time James’ demeanour carries a demonstrable mix of pride and excitement for their venture that’s about to create a piece of local history.

“There were just a handful of Australian companies working in the space industry when we launched the propulsion side of the business in 2015. We had five employees then and now we have 146 full time staff. Our first commercial space launch is due to lift off by the end of this year. It will be the first sovereign space launch witnessed in Australia, so it’s a huge deal.”

Gilmour Space Technologies have expanded their operation so quickly that they’ve already outgrown two sites and are now looking to relocate to a third location, potentially on the northern end of the Gold Coast.

 “The new site will include a common user facility where we’ll have environmental test capabilities, thermal vacuum chambers, vibration tables, along with an integration and small manufacturing area. We currently have around 32 partners at present who are working with us in developing our rocket program, so it makes sense to create a space where related industries can work with us on site.”

Gilmour Space Technology partners will be able to work alongside the Gilmour team at the new site

Strategic partnerships and career opportunities

A large part of Gilmour’s success comes down to the strategic partnerships they’ve developed with local institutions to both facilitate their technical requirements and create career pathways for graduates, including Griffith University, Southern Cross University and TAFE Queensland.

“We’ve got a great partnership with Griffith University where they’re working with us on composite manufacturing and satellite development. They’re also looking at a Cube Sat program where they’ll be inviting schools and other universities to participate in that initiative, which is great way to engage students in what we’re doing,” Gilmour enthuses.

Partnerships with Gold Coast education institutions are contributing to the success of the program at Gilmour

James says that they’ve been talking to TAFE about the kinds of skillsets they need, particularly in the area of manufacturing.

“In the last six to nine months we’ve hired about 20 local graduates. At present we have a requirement to fill 50 full time positions on our jobs board, mainly split between manufacturing and engineering, with quite a few entry level positions, and we also require staff for operations and technical capabilities too.”

Many career opportunities are opening up in engineering and advanced manufacturing

Rocket science

One of Gilmour Space Technology’s early recruits was Enoch Onamusi. Originally from Nigeria, Enoch demonstrated a prodigious aptitude for technology at an early age, enrolling in IT at Griffith University at just 16.

“Originally I intended to study quantum mechanics, I was fascinated by the theories and saw myself working primarily in research, but what I liked about IT was that I could actually get my hands dirty by being able to play around with computers. I could instigate my ideas in a practical way and that was immensely satisfying,” he says.

Enoch Onamusi

Enoch admits that he had no idea that there was a company building rockets on the Gold Coast when he enrolled at Griffith, but he jumped at the chance when an opportunity came up.

“When I arrived at Gilmour it was early on in the evolution of the company and I could see a lot of opportunities. One of the things that I love about working here is that we’re a small team, so I have a very active voice in the development of the program.

“It’s so exciting working for a company that builds rockets. My team enables the parts of the rocket to work virtually, designing systems to ensure the rockets are safe. Once the rocket lifts off it needs to be able to control itself and reach its destination and my team ensures that is exactly what happens by pre-programming the flight computers. We are pretty much responsible for creating the brains of the rocket,” Enoch explains.

Rocket science becomes a reality - finished components awaiting to be assembled at Gilmour

As for future, Enoch feels that the opportunities at Gilmour are limited only by their imagination.   

“We’re on the verge of something really special. I just don’t see us stopping. We had two interns join us late last year and now they’ve been integrated into the team. They’re both incredibly excited because working here is unlike anything they’re likely to get the chance to do elsewhere. Having said that, you need to be the right sort of person to work in this environment, you really need to thrive on challenges. You need to be able to take the initiative as well. At the end of the day we are all working as a team towards a common goal and if one of us fails, we all take that on as a team.”

*Explore the career opportunities at Gilmour Space Technologies here.  

*For more Gold Coast career opportunities visit the Gold Coast Student Jobs site.