First Irish satellite to be launched in space

Ireland is boldly going where it has never gone before by preparing to launch its very first satellite in space, writes Pádraig Hoare.

Led by University College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with five Irish companies, the EIRSAT-1 satellite will be launched from the International Space Station and will orbit for 12 months if it passes the stringent testing of the European Space Agency (ESA).