Ireland’s Space Milestone Reaches a Milestone End
After two years orbiting Earth, EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first educational and research satellite, has de-orbited and burned up in the atmosphere. The project, led by University College Dublin (UCD) and backed by the European Space Agency’s Fly Your Satellite programme, marked a significant turning point for Ireland’s space ambitions. Launched in 2023, EIRSAT-1 was designed to educate students, test innovative systems, and generate data for research and teaching. Its closure marks the end of a chapter, but also a launchpad for future Irish space ventures.
The Mission and Its Payloads
EIRSAT-1 carried three key payloads into low-Earth orbit: the Gamma-Ray Module (GMOD) to detect gamma-ray bursts, the Wave Based Control (WBC) module to validate an advanced satellite pointing system, and the ENBIO module to test thermal management coatings for materials exposed to space. During its mission, GMOD identified 10 cosmological gamma-ray bursts and two solar flares, contributing valuable data to the global space science community. The team behind EIRSAT-1 also produced 24 academic papers, underscoring the project’s research impact and its role as a training ground for Ireland’s next generation of space professionals.
Education and Talent: Building Ireland’s Space Workforce
Beyond its scientific results, EIRSAT-1 served as a powerful education platform. More than 50 students — primarily postgraduate researchers in physics, mechanical and materials engineering, with some computer science and mathematics — gained hands-on experience in space systems. The project supported 13 PhD students funded by Irish Research Council scholarships, shaping a new cohort of space specialists in Ireland.
UCD also introduced a dedicated Spacecraft Operations module as part of an MSc in Space Science and Technology. Led by EIRSAT-1’s chief operator, Dr. David Murphy, the course trained an additional 20 students in actual satellite operations, fostering practical skills that can accelerate Ireland’s future space missions.
Seeds for Ireland’s Space Future
The successful completion of EIRSAT-1 catalyzed further investment and programmatic growth. Notably, the National Space Subsystems and Payloads Initiative (NSSPI) was launched in March 2024, drawing more than €7.9 million in funding from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. NSSPI aims to advance model-based design and hardware-in-the-loop testing to speed up Irish space technology development and deployment.
Another project, GIFTS — Gamma-ray Investigation of the Full Transient Sky — builds on GMOD’s achievements. Led by UCD’s Prof. Sheila McBreen, GIFTS is a 6U cubesat mission that will focus on detecting and localising gamma-ray bursts and expanding sky coverage. Additionally, C-Space at UCD has been selected by ESA for ComCubes, a follow-on project to develop a cubesat swarm that can deliver faster, more detailed gamma-ray burst information.
Leadership Reflections and Ireland’s Next Steps
UCD’s Prof. Lorraine Hanlon, director of the EIRSAT-1 project and C-Space, reflected on the mission’s legacy: “Although it’s a sad day for the team, we’re proud that EIRSAT-1 has reached the end of its mission having achieved all of its goals. We’re keen to apply what we have learned, building new missions, and collaborating to grow Ireland’s space sector.”
Irish policymakers, including Dr. Padraig Doolan, highlighted the mission as proof that Ireland can lead complex space endeavours from design to operations. Enterprise Ireland emphasized the mission’s role in strengthening public-private collaboration and in accelerating Ireland’s emergence as a space-faring nation.
What This Means for Ireland
The legacy of EIRSAT-1 extends beyond its orbital life. The project demonstrates the value of integrating education with cutting-edge research, demonstrating to students and industry that Ireland can participate in, and lead, sophisticated space missions. With ongoing plans and new initiatives in place, the Irish space community is well-positioned to translate this achievement into more ambitious missions and collaborations in the coming years.
Conclusion
EIRSAT-1’s orbit may have ended, but the mission’s impact endures. It has inspired a generation of space researchers, fueled significant funding, and laid the groundwork for a thriving Irish space ecosystem. As Ireland continues to invest in talent, technology, and partnerships, the next satellites and missions are within reach, guided by the lessons learned from EIRSAT-1’s successful run.
