Louth native on UCD team about to launch Ireland’s first satellite
Ireland's first satellite is due to launch into orbit next week. Designed and built by a student-led team at UCD, EIRSAT-1, will carry three experiments into space and report data back to a command centre on the Irish campus.
Jack Reilly from Clogherhead is a member of the UCD team which aims to make history next week when the EIRSAT-1 satellite will be launched by rocket into space.
Jack graduated with a BSc in Physics with Astronomy and Space Science from UCD in 2018 and an MSc in 2020. He is currently a researcher in the UCD School of Physics.
His recent work on EIRSAT-1 has been as test engineer, with a focus on the Electrical Power Systems, however he is also involved in building ground support equipment, communications systems and developing the ground segment.
Jack said:
“This has been a truly amazing project to work on. Our team in UCD is the first in the country to design and build a satellite that will be launched into orbit and then operated from Ireland. Having started on this project as a student, and worked on it for so long, it is extremely exciting to now be this close to launch date!’
Throughout the project, Jack and his EIRSAT-1 team mates in UCD have worked with the European Space Agency (ESA),’s ‘Fly Your Satellite program’, to receive outstanding training, space-expert mentoring and hands-on guidance. The development of the spacecraft at UCD has seen the introduction of space systems engineering and skills that have not previously existed in Irish industry or academia.
The satellite’s three experiments will test new space technologies developed in Ireland, including an advanced instrument that will probe the early Universe.
The project has received programmatic and educational support by the ESA Education Office, EIRSAT-1 has received funding from Science Foundation Ireland, Irish Research Council, Enterprise Ireland, UCD, Openet, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The Irish European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO), has also supported the engagement of school students with inspirational and educational activities around the EIRSAT-1 project.
A flagship project of UCD C-Space, the UCD Centre for Space Research, the UCD School of Physics and UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, EIRSAT-1 is carried out with the support of the Education Office of the European Space Agency, under the educational Fly your Satellite! Programme.