In 2016, Jamie Anderson, founder of ASLI and then Head of Propulsion at Gilmour Space Technologies, in the spirit of collaboration donated components of the planned Pathfinder One rocket to Gilmour Space. This bold move created a unique opportunity to launch a rocket, swiftly validating the company’s pioneering work in 3D-manufactured fuel.
The development of the custom motor was completed in just five months from project start to a functional motor ready for its first launch attempt. The rocket, named RASTA 2, honored its lineage from the earlier RASTA 1A, launched by ASLI in 2012 from Western Downs, Queensland.
The initial launch attempt at the Queensland Rocket Society’s Westmar site in Queensland faced a setback when the launch window closed before takeoff could occur. Undeterred, a return to Westmar on July 22, 2016, proved triumphant. RASTA 2 soared to an altitude of 5.2 km, etching its name in history as Australia’s first commercially developed hybrid rocket launch and the world’s first test flight of a 3D-manufactured ABS hybrid fuel grain, conclusively validating Gilmour’s innovative technology in flight.
Video montage from the historic launch
The RASTA rocket, originally conceived by Jamie Anderson during his time with the Academic Space Launch Initiative (ASLI), has evolved into a cornerstone of regional milestones. Its design was later refined at Equatorial Space Systems into the SPARK (Student Payload Academic Reusable Rocket Kit), which enabled Space Zone India to achieve India’s first hybrid rocket launch and its first reusable hybrid rocket launch (RHUMI). What began as a humble garage project in suburban Brisbane, crafted as an educational tool, has grown to deliver historic firsts across three countries—and counting.
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