Cork and Waterford set to become Ireland’s ‘Space Region’

The Society, Economy and Environment Space network will engage with leaders to help them see space as an opportunity for business growth

CIT operates the Blackrock Castle Observatory which has been a leading advocate of Space 4.0.

It's a new frontier for the southern region as research teams in Cork and Waterford team up to establish Ireland’s first-ever ‘Space Region.’ 

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) have come together to form the Society, Economy and Environment (SEE) Space network, with hopes to build links to international space organisations such as the European Space Agency.

The SEE Space Network will bring together researchers with decades of expertise in quantum communications, materials science, photonics, advanced manufacturing cybersecurity, telecommunications and more.

Headed up by CIT’s Dr Niall Smith and WIT's Dr Mark White, the new research team plan to use space to solve problems that are relevant to the region and the country, building the Irish Space Coast and attracting inward investment from national and international sources.

Space solution

CIT president, Dr Barry O’Connor, said the space network will engage with leaders in their respective domains and help them to see space as an opportunity to grow their businesses.

“We will work with communities to see how best to use space to solve their issues, to increase their sustainability and improve their competitiveness,” he said.

The SEE Space network is built on CIT's and WIT's long track record of achievement in research, innovation and outreach, with an annual research expenditure of almost €40m.

CIT also operates the Blackrock Castle Observatory which has been a leading advocate of Space 4.0 and represented the Higher Education community in the development of the National Space Strategy for Enterprise, 2019-2024.

WIT president, Professor Willie Donnelly said Low orbital operations are rapidly becoming the new business frontier and WIT and CIT want to be at the forefront of all developments. Picture: Paul Sharp/SHARPPIX

WIT president, Professor Willie Donnelly said the initiative will create “regional expertise, competence and ‘readiness’ for many businesses in the South of Ireland who are looking at the developing space and low-orbital environment and wondering how they will migrate their current operations, products or R&D from or through space.” 

“Low orbital operations are rapidly becoming the new business frontier and WIT and CIT want to be at the forefront of all developments,” he said.

The global space industry is projected to be worth €2tn by 2030.