Lift-Off for Clare students following victory in prestigious NASA space design competition

Five students from County Clare have travelled to the United States this week having won a prestigious space design competition founded by NASA.

The St Flannan’s College students, departed from Shannon on Monday for Chicago before travelling on to Orlando, where they will present their design at the International Space Development Conference.

The prestigious event is an annual gathering organised by the National Space Society which brings together leaders and enthusiasts from all sectors of the space industry.

The students - Alex Furey, Damian Woros, Najib Haq, Gavin Shiels and Ahmed Ibrahim from St Flannan's in Ennis, together with Shreya Mariya Saju and Lexie McKenna from St Dominic’s College in Cabra, Dublin – designed a next-generation space habitat which they named “Inis Beatha” or “Island of Life”.

This design uses artificial gravity and plants grown without soil to create a system capable of recycling the food, water and oxygen needed to sustain life in space.

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Speaking at Shannon Airport ahead of their flight to Chicago, physics teacher John Conneely, from St Flannan’s College, said: “Winning first place in the senior section of this year’s NSS Space Settlement Contest—against over 26,000 entries from schools worldwide—is an incredible achievement, and we couldn’t be prouder of our students! We’re also immensely grateful to Shannon Airport for their continued support, making this unforgettable trip to Orlando possible for our students."

Mr Connelly added that he believes Shannon Airport has always been inspirational when it comes to innovation

"From welcoming the first transatlantic passenger flight 80 years ago to the recent debut of an Advanced Air Mobility aircraft and, remarkably, at one point it was also an alternate landing site for the space shuttle, making it the perfect launchpad for our students as they set out on this incredible journey to the International Space Conference.”

Welcoming the students to Shannon, Tim Ryan, Group Head of Brand & Marketing at The Shannon Airport Group, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the team from St Flannan’s College to Shannon Airport as they travel to such a prestigious event in the U.S.

"These innovative young minds are a testament to the exceptional talent and ambition coming from this region, making an impact on the world stage. We are immensely proud to support Alex, Damian, Najib, Gavin, Ahmed, and their dedicated teachers on this exciting adventure.”