Earthstation puts Midleton on space map

Despite having to deal with splatter attacks by crows, a facility in Co Cork is at the centre of Irish satellite technology, writes Claire Droney.

A STAR TREK mug sits in the windowsill of the office. On the desk is an old-fashioned green Bakelite telephone, and a model of the rocket that Chris Hadfield took on his space mission earlier this year. A glass cabinet contains a host of space paraphernalia, including a Russian Space Agency logo medal, a pair of astronaut’s underpants, and a limited edition replica of the watch Yuri Gagarin wore in space.

Outside, two men hose down a 32m-wide antenna, as another tries to remove the crow excrement and nests from the concave dome.