First Australian-made rocket motor makes successful test flight

Defence’s Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has announced the first successful test flight of a fully Australian-designed and manufactured advanced Solid Rocket Motor (SRM). It took place at the Koonibba Test Range near Ceduna, South Australia, a commercial space port owned by Southern Launch.

Propelling the Koonibba Rising Rocket (KRR), the Koonibba Rising 3.0 SRM is a 100kg-class motor, incorporating technologies and design features required for high-performance, military-relevant applications, says DSTG.

Post-flight analysis confirmed the SRM performed as designed throughout the test. The test also successfully demonstrated real-time monitoring of flight vehicle and rocket motor performance data and enabled the recovery of the flight vehicle for inspection and data validation.

As the first launch collaboration between Southern Launch and DSTG, the KRR mission provides valuable data to inform future SRM system development and demonstrates Australia’s ability to design, build, launch, and test advanced rocket systems domestically, says Southern Launch.

This test builds on the successful static firing of the larger-scale DRACO SRM at Woomera in February 2026. The KRR mission achieved a full-duration motor burn and captured critical in-flight telemetry data, while also confirming the performance of Southern Launch’s in-house developed flight vehicle structures and avionics systems.

“This is a significant achievement for Australia’s defence industry and a major step forward in our ability to design, develop and test advanced rocket motor and missile system technologies right here in Australia,” said Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry.

“It showcases the strength of collaboration between Defence, Australian industry and research organisations in delivering cutting-edge capabilities that support our national security and sovereign industrial resilience.”

Rocket motors are a critical component of most missile systems, providing propulsion during flight. This milestone marks another significant step towards Australia’s sovereign guided weapons capability, says Defence in a media release. It demonstrates the ability of Australian industry to design, manufacture, integrate and test rocket motor technologies relevant to future tactical missile systems. The announcement doesn’t state what the diameter and thrust of the SRM were.

Solid rocket motors are generally used for military applications due to their simplicity, high energy density and ability to be stored for extended periods while remaining ready to launch at short notice, says DSTG.

Koonibba Rising 3.0 was developed through the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator Program, a partnership between DSTG and Thales Australia. The program brings together a network of Australian industry partners involved in component design and manufacturing.