Ireland’s Inaugural Satellite Launched into Space from California by The Irish Times

Ireland has officially entered the space age with the launch of Eirsat-1, the nation’s inaugural satellite. This monumental event took place on Friday evening as a Falcon 9 Space X rocket, which departed from California, carried the satellite into space.

Following its successful launch, there were jubilant celebrations at the mission control center in UCD, Dublin. The satellite, resembling a Battenberg cake in size and shape, was meticulously designed and constructed by a team of students over a six-year period.

However, the initial revelry was followed by an anxious two-hour wait to establish contact with the satellite after its release into orbit. Despite being unable to make immediate contact as it passed over Ireland, hopes were high for communication during subsequent flypasts using ground stations in Kerry and Dublin.

Finally, just before 10:30 pm, UCD tweeted that a signal from the satellite had been received, prompting an emotional response from lead software engineer, Maeve Doyle, and professor Sheila McBreen from UCD’s school of physics.

The construction of Eirsat-1 was a laborious process involving approximately 50 UCD students, resulting in 23 research publications and over 20,000 hours of testing and troubleshooting to reach its current state. This satellite is equipped with three experiments, including a gamma ray detector to study luminous cosmic events and an experiment to measure temperature modifications in space.

Furthermore, Eirsat-1 carries out wave-based control experiments, showcasing innovative methods to ensure precise satellite orientation in space.

In anticipation of the launch, UCD president, Prof Orla Feely, emphasized the significance of students witnessing “a little piece of Ireland, a little piece of UCD” in the night sky, marking a remarkable achievement for the Irish space industry.

This monumental achievement not only marks a historic milestone for Ireland but also signifies the beginning of an extraordinary journey in the realm of space exploration.