European Space Agency gives go-ahead for Ireland's first satellite

An Irish project was selected by the ESA’s Fly Your Satellite! (FYS) programme.

By Cliodhna Russell Tuesday 23 May 2017, 9:23 AM

May 23rd 2017, 9:23 AM 17,149 Views 32 Comments

https://jrnl.ie/3403982

File Photo

Image: Shutterstock/Andrey Armyagov

File Photo

Image: Shutterstock/Andrey Armyagov

IRELAND’S FIRST SATELLITE is set to be developed after a team of Irish based researchers got the go-ahead from the European Space Agency.

The Education Irish Research Satellite 1 will be launched from the International Space Station and orbit the Earth for a year – if strict tests and reviews are passed.

The project was selected by the ESA’s Fly Your Satellite! (FYS) programme which aims to “inspire, engage and better prepare university students for a more effective introduction to their future professions in the space sector”.

Students at University College Dublin and Queens University Belfast are building the space craft with the assistance of academics.

Don't quite know how to say this, but WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A SATELLITE - #EIRSAT-1 selected by @esa for #FlyYourSatellite @ucdscience pic.twitter.com/riY2zYpTwj
— Lorraine Hanlon (@LorraineHanlon1) May 13, 2017

Source: Lorraine Hanlon/Twitter

The small shoebox sized CubeSat will be designed and tested over the coming months.

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If launched, the space craft will be managed from a ground station at UCD. It aims to test experiment with thermal coatings for spacecraft and gather data on gamma ray bursts.

@ucddublin and @QueensUBelfast students will take #EIRSAT-1 to the next step, a real satellite doing gamma-ray science in low earth orbit! pic.twitter.com/8nCWZ2M8G3
— David Murphy (@jaaaaam) May 15, 2017

Source: David Murphy/Twitter

Five Irish based companies are providing help with the project.

Read: A Trinity professor will play a big role in space exploration>

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European Space Agency gives go-ahead for Ireland's first satellite

An Irish project was selected by the ESA’s Fly Your Satellite! (FYS) programme.