The global space economy is expanding by 9% annually and is projected to hit a remarkable £1.5 trillion, €1.7 trillion, AUD 2.8 trillion, CAD 2.5 trillion, and NZD 3 trillion by 2035.
Throughout the year, 25 firms, including three recently involved in space, were aided in creating technologies and products across sectors like telecommunications, earth observation, and space exploration.
According to Enterprise Ireland’s report, ‘Space Activities in Ireland 2023’, the participation and success of Irish businesses in the European space sector is on the rise. By the end of 2023, 109 Irish firms were actively collaborating with ESA, marking a notable expansion of Ireland’s role in this fast-growing field.
As part of efforts to maximise the opportunity, last year saw the establishment of the Irish Space Association (ISA), a non-profit aimed at promoting and supporting the growth of Ireland’s space industry.
Minister Emer Higgins, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, said:
“2023 was a momentous year for the Irish space sector. The increasing number of Irish companies working with ESA, alongside the launch of EIRSAT-1, highlights Ireland’s strong position in this fast-growing sector.
Seven start-ups, including InfraPrint, ServBlock, and Sports Impact Technologies, received support from Enterprise Ireland’s ESA Business Incubation Centre programme, which offers technical assistance, mentoring, and up to €50,000, approximately $53,500, £42,500, AUD 83,000, CAD 73,500, and NZD 90,500 for companies that can demonstrate a clear link to space.
“As Ireland’s space community continues to innovate and collaborate with European and global partners, the future of the country’s space sector looks brighter than ever. The Irish Government is committed to continuing its support for innovation and enterprise in the space sector as we look to build on these successes and further strengthen Ireland’s role in the global space economy.” – Higgins further added
According to Enterprise Ireland, the programme’s goal is to “empower entrepreneurship” and “enable local economies to benefit from space data, technologies and assets.”
One of the major milestones for Irish space activities in 2023 was the successful launch of Ireland’s inaugural satellite, the Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1), from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in December.
EIRSAT-1 is a student-led initiative based at University College Dublin (UCD) that is supported by the ESA Academy’s ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme and was developed in partnership with Irish technology firms. It carries payloads for gamma-ray astrophysics, advanced thermal materials, spacecraft control, and an antenna deployment module, all developed at UCD.
Additional useful information can be discovered at this link.