CORK IS NOW home to the country’s first Earth Observation ground station – and Taoiseach Enda Kenny helped to launch it yesterday.

Cork based space services provider, National Space Centre (Ltd) in Midleton opened the observation station, which was commissioned by Canadian based company, exactEarth.

Antenna

exactEarth is a leading organisation in the field of space-based AIS (Automatic Identification System) vessel tracking and monitoring systems.

So what is in the station? It comprises a 3.7m fast-tracking antenna (it can move at 15 degrees per second) inside a protective fibre-glass radome, which is linked by cable to an on-site preliminary data processing centre.

The antenna downloads data from exactEarth’s satellites up to six times a day, and ExactEarth’s network records every point of the planet during a 12 hour period.

It uses this data to improve freight management efficiency, maritime policing and environmental protection globally.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD  with Rory Fitzpatrick  National Space Centre Chief Executive Officer. Pic: Gerard McCarthy

Linda Fitzpatrick of the National Space Centre said that the antenna links with satellites that pass over Ireland, taking down information that is packaged and then sent on to exactEarth.

She explained that Ireland has a fantastic vantage point given its location, and this is important for accessing such information.

The Taoiseach said that the location of a global player such as exactEarth is “a positive move and a first step into this domain, reflecting increased international confidence in Ireland as a location and its ability to deliver”.

Critically, it provides an opportunity to capitalise on this advantage in the creation of high tech and sustainable jobs in the maritime environment.

Rory Fitzpatrick, CEO National Space Centre (Ltd)  said the station is “our small contribution to Government strategy to harness our ocean wealth and develop our full maritime potential as a nation”.

Phillip Miller, VP of Engineering and Operations at exactEarth said that the addition of the new ground station in Ireland helps the company to improve the overall performance of its system.

Read: Irish to compete in €1 million satellite ideas competition>

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