Irish scientists hope the country’s first satellite in space will “open doors” for further technology demonstrations, as plans are already under way to develop a second satellite.
Tanaiste and enterprise minister Leo Varadkar and junior minister Damien English signed papers with the European Space Agency (ESA) on Monday to facilitate the launch of the satellite, which has been designed and built by staff and students at University College Dublin (UCD).
The satellite, known as the Educational Irish Research satellite 1 – or Eirsat-1 – will be launched from the ESA’s base in French Guiana between January 20 and February 20.
