New Delhi, July 30 -- An Australian rocket, representing the country's first attempt to reach orbit with a domestically produced vehicle, crashed soon after launch.

On Wednesday, Gilmour Space Technologies, a space startup, conducted its first test flight of the Eris rocket from its Bowen Orbital Spaceport, approximately 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) northwest of Brisbane. The flight lasted about 14 seconds, reported Bloomberg, citing a company statement.

The launch occurred after months of delays, as Gilmour Space initially planned to debut in March but had to postpone several times, including a delay in May due to a problem with the rocket's payload fairing.

"Space is hard," said Chief Executive Officer Adam Gilmour in the statement. ...