EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite, is expected to launch into space between late January and late February from the European Space Agency’s centre in French Guiana on a four-year mission.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar called the effort a “big moment” for Ireland’s space sector and a “huge spin-off” for Irish firms and institutions.
He was speaking after signing documents with the European Space Agency to facilitate the launch of a satellite designed and manufactured by University College Dublin academics and students.
Mr Varadkar said that Ireland has increased its financial contribution to the European Space Agency but this has been paid back “in multiples” because Irish aviation and aerospace companies have subsequently secured contracts from the ESA.
Mr Varadkar said EIRSAT-1 has been led by a talented team in UCD which will position Ireland “to benefit from global space industry growth in the coming decades”.
UCD’s Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact Prof Orla Feely said the EIRSAT-1 team have worked “tirelessly for five years” on what she described as “this challenging mission”, noting a strong involvement of PhD students in the project.
Prof Lorraine Hanlon, Director of the UCD C-Space Centre and the EIRSAT-1 project, said it was a “huge milestone” for the mission that the essential agreements were completed, following Cabinet clearance earlier this month.
Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council, Enterprise Ireland, UCD, Openet, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the European Space Education Resource Office have all contributed to the development of the Educational Irish Research Satellite 1, or EIRSAT-1.
It is hoped that the satellite will reveal more about the formation of the universe. It has a control mechanism that allows it to transform into a magnet and react to the Earth’s magnetic field.
Dr David McKeown, Assistant Professor at the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UCD, explained earlier this month that a Gamma-ray Burst Detector will be onboard to achieve this.
A poem about home and the universe is also engraved on the satellite.