Ready to launch - Ireland's space industry preparing for take-off

As Ireland's space industry thrives, more startups are tapping into the opportunities that could boost growth into the solar system, writes Sean Pollock

Spacecraft at Elon Musk’s SpaceX HQ near Boca Chica, Texas. When Musk’s Dragon capsule docked to the International Space Station last year, astronauts used Dublin-based Skytek’s IPV Tablet system.

Sean Pollock

Last year, as Elon Musk's SpaceX soared through the Earth's orbit and into space, an Irish company's technology was ready and waiting to play a mission-critical role. Dublin-based Skytek's IPV Tablet system was used to provide advanced astronaut support on the International Space Station (ISS). With the system, astronauts had access to more than 14,000 operational procedures, which support all operational activities on board.

When the SpaceX Dragon capsule docked to the station, the astronauts on board could use IPV procedures to support the safe operation of the capsule with onboard systems.