A space start-up once billed as the future of Australia’s rocket launch industry has collapsed into liquidation, still owing the Northern Territory government more than $5 million.
A notice issued by financial regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) last week confirmed Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) would be wound up and Geoffrey Peter Granger appointed as liquidator.
ELA captured national attention in 2022 when it launched three NASA rockets from its Arnhem Space Centre launch pad in the Northern Territory, in a moment hailed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “a new era” for the Australian space sector.
The rockets marked Australia’s first commercial launches in more than 25 years and spurred the…