An Australian aerospace company marked a successful, albeit brief, test launch of an orbital rocket carrying a jar of Vegemite in its nose cone, AFP reported.

After an 18-month wait for a suitable launch window, the three-stage Eris rocket managed to stay airborne for about 14 seconds before losing thrust and falling back to Earth, leaving behind a plume of smoke.

The rocket was designed and built by Gilmour Space Technologies—a company aiming to become the first to launch an Australian-built rocket into orbit from within the country.

"I'm so relieved, you wouldn't believe it," said CEO Adam Gilmour. "I was so worried it wouldn't even lift off from the launch pad, so when it did, I screamed with pure joy."

Footage shows the rocket barely clearing the height of the launch tower, hovering briefly above the ground, and then losing thrust.

The 23-meter vehicle, intended to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit, was launched from Abbot Point, around 1,000 kilometers north of the Queensland capital, Brisbane.

The test payload was a jar of the iconic Australian breakfast spread Vegemite, placed in the rocket’s nose section.

Gilmour announced that preparations for a second test launch are already underway, with a new mission planned within “the next six to eight months.”

“You can prove an incredible amount in just 10 to 15 seconds of flight,” he said.

He added with a smile: “Unfortunately, the Vegemite didn’t survive.”

The company, which employs around 230 people, plans to begin commercial launches by the end of 2026 or early 2027. | BGNES