PRESS RELEASE: From the Paddock to the Stars
From the Paddock to the Stars – How One Aussie is Building Rockets To Go To Space
BROOKVALE, NSW – Tuesday 8th July 2025 –What began in a small paddock on the outskirts of the Sydney Basin in 1992 with a very small rocket is now a full-fledged space company with its eyes set on the edge of Earth’s atmosphere and beyond.
Sunburnt Space Co., based in the industrial precinct of Brookvale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, is Australia’s newest rocket start-up. Founded by long-time rocket enthusiast and serial entrepreneur Brad Younger, the company is building Meggs Jr, a suborbital rocket that is Australian-built and ready to launch to space from Australian soil.
“I launched my first rocket way back in ’92. Right then I was hooked. I knew I wanted to build a launch company,” says Brad. “Now, with the right mix of skills and life experience under my belt, I’m finally on the launch pad and this time, we’re going all the way.”
Brad earned his TRA (Tripoli Rocketry Association) Level 3 Certification, the highest level in amateur rocketry, before selling off his other businesses to go all in on his space dream. With a laser focus on simplicity, speed, and the Aussie spirit, Sunburnt Space Co. is proving that you don’t need a billion-dollar budget to build a rocket. Just the right mindset and a bit of backyard grit.
Building Space Access, The Aussie Way
Sunburnt Space Co. is keeping things lean, local, and fast. Rather than building in secret for a decade, the team is moving in sprints. Testing, refining, and sharing their journey as they go.
Their goal: a demonstration flight past the Kármán line (100km altitude) by the end of 2026. Long-term? They want to take Australia beyond orbit and eventually support human travel to Jupiter and beyond.
“We’re not waiting for permission. We’re building it ourselves, one part at a time. And we’re inviting the country to come with us.”
An Australian Rocket, Built from the Ground Up
We are taking a staged approach to development, starting small and scaling smart. The team will begin with a series of low-altitude rocket launches in 2025 to test systems, materials, and processes. Each launch builds capability and confidence for the next, with plans to incrementally scale up toward larger, higher-performing vehicles over the next two years.
Media Assets Available
Download our logo and access other shared images from our Press page here: https://sunburntspace.com.au/press
More photos of Brad, the Brookvale factory, and early rockets available on request
Media Contact
Brad YoungerFounder & CEO, Sunburnt Space [email protected](02) 7238 0810www.sunburntspace.com.au
About Sunburnt Space Co.
Based in the backstreets of Brookvale on the NSW Northern Beaches, Sunburnt Space Co. is the little Aussie rocket company with a big mission: get to space, quickly and simply, with nothing but grit and good engineering. Founded out of a deep passion for rocket-making and a belief in Australia’s potential to compete on the world stage. To push beyond Earth’s orbit and help us travel the vastness of space.
About Sunburnt Space Co.
Based in the backstreets of Brookvale on the NSW Northern Beaches, Sunburnt Space Co. is the little Aussie rocket company with a big mission: get to space, quickly and simply, with nothing but grit and good engineering. Founded out of a deep passion for rocket-making and a belief in Australia’s potential to compete on the world stage. To push beyond Earth’s orbit and help us travel the vastness of space.
