Irish Manufacturing Research, Amber offer support for the development and manufacture of space-bound hardware
Life
Ken Horan, Phi-Lab Ireland
Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and Research Ireland centre Amber and have officially launched Phi-Lab Ireland – a six-year programme for the European Space Agency (ESA) focussed on innovation in materials science.
ESA Phi-Lab Ireland will fund cutting-edge research across the entire life-cycle from materials discovery and testing, to the scaled production of components optimised for the unique and challenging environment of space. Benefiting from the combined capabilities of two of Ireland’s leading research organisations, it will also offer access to expert mentorship and training programmes, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, comprehensive networking opportunities, and significant seed funding for projects up to 24-months.
Key research areas targeted by this call include advanced materials research; additive manufacturing; structural analysis and simulation; and integration of smart materials.
Dr Ken Horan, director of technology innovation & entrepreneurship at IMR and head of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland (pictured), said: “ESA Phi-Lab Ireland is a unique opportunity for Irish SMEs, start-ups, and researchers to become leaders in space-focused innovation. Today, the space sector offers opportunities akin to those presented by the medtech sector a few decades ago and before that, ICT manufacturing. These have become cornerstones of the Irish economy. We want to see Ireland equivalently recognised as a global leader in the space sector and are building a national competence centre to advance this ambition.”
Director of Amber Prof Mick Morris added: “Amber are delighted to partner with IMR to support Irish industry and researchers in exploring new commercial opportunities in the space sector. This activity will build on our strong foundation in supporting research in materials science important to the Irish and European economy.
“To date, we have built a partner portfolio of over 50 companies and managed over 100 collaborative projects. Together with IMR we span the full life cycle from material discovery and development through material validation to generative design and the development of the high-volume manufacturing processes necessary for next generation space-bound hardware whilst maximising and improving the sustainability of those processes.”
Phi-Lab Ireland is the newest addition to an expanding pan-European network of locally hosted and administered Phi-Labs, each addressing a regionally important thematic area.
Evelyn Kerschbaumer, commercial officer at the European Space Agency, said: “As part of the ScaleUp Programme under the Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, the European Space Agency is establishing a dynamic network of ESA Phi-Labs across Europe. We are pleased to welcome the Irish Phi-Lab to this expanding network.
“The launch of the Phi-Lab Ireland is a testimonial to ESA’s and Ireland’s joint commitment to push innovation in space technologies and drive economic growth. Phi-Lab Ireland will enable Irish companies to generate innovation, unlock new markets and commercial opportunities, making tomorrow’s technologies available for today’s world.”
TechCentral Reporters
