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Irish Space Activities are many and varied, and cover a number of key technological and scientific domains including:
Software Systems and Services
• On board satellite control software
• Software tools
• Software testing ADA, C++
• Simulation software for fluid dynamics and structural analysis
• User front end for instrumentation control
• Software and services for space mission support
Precision Mechanical Components
• High precision machined components and sub assemblies
• Electrovalve technologies
• Fuelling valves
Advanced Materials
• Composites Testing
• Magnetic Fluids
Electronics/Microelectronics
• High frequency RF components, MMIC design
• Microelectronics test support laboratory
• Specialised ASICs
• Miniaturised data acquisition and control units
• Electronic Temperature Sensors
• Optoelectronic devices
Telecommunications Systems and Service Engineering
• Satellite Internet terminals and services
• Communications software for mobile satellite services
• Satellite network protocols
• Satellite network operational support systems
• Satellite communications/navigation user terminals IC design
• Security for satellite networks
• Satellite Multimedia content and services
Space Science
In addition to the rapidly growing number of Irish firms entering the space sector, Irish scientific teams have been involved in a number of high-profile ESA Science missions, including the spectacular Giotto mission to Comet Halley 1985, the SOHO and Cluster missions launched in 1995 and 2000 respectively to monitor the sun and its effects on the Earth's environment, and the Gamma Ray Astronomy mission Integral launched in 2002. Irish scientists have also participated in a number of international space science missions
of American, Russian and Chinese Space Agencies, including the Long Duration Exposure Facility (USA), Phobos I and II missions to Mars (Russia) and the planned Double Star solar mission (China).
The Irish scientific teams that build payload instruments encompass a number of institutions including NUI Dublin, NUI Maynooth and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. In the next few years Irish scientists will have opportunities to play leading roles in a new batch of ESA science missions, for example ROSETTA to study and place a lander on a target comet, the James Webb Space Telescope and Mars Express to study from orbit and to place a lander on the red planet.
Further in the future exciting missions are planned to travel to the planet Mercury and to study some of the fundamental laws of physics, including a test of Einstein's theory of general relativity.
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