About ESERO Ireland

How UCD students built Ireland's first satellite

EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite has been built by a team of students from University College Dublin and is officially in orbit!

This historic moment was achieved on the 1st of December 2023  after a successful liftoff, separation and connection of signal, from the EIRSAT-1 Mission Control Room in the UCD School of Physics.

EIRSAT-1 is a 2-unit CubeSat carrying three experiments, including a novel gamma ray detector that will study some of the most luminous explosions in the universe.

Bring this exciting topic to your classroom:

EIRSAT-1 Primary School Supports

EIRSAT-1 Secondary School Supports

 

Back to school with ESA!

 

Back to school and planning an inspiring year ahead? ESA is happy to announce the perfect addition to your school year, the updated 2023-24 ESA School Projects! Choose your favourite project from  investigating climate, building your own “micro-satellite and more.” Note down the kick-off dates or get in touch to join in!

 

Climate Detectives

Kick-off: 22 September

Suggested for: up to 19 years old

Are you curious about our home planet and what we can do to protect it? Join Climate Detectives, explore your local environment and make a difference in understanding and protecting Earth.

This school year we have exciting updates and a new beginners category – Climate Detectives Kids. Complete activities focusing on climate or planet Earth, collect evidence and earn your Detectives badges!

Also the more advanced category is expanding in scope: you will have the opportunity to focus your investigations not only on climate but also on environment and sustainability on Earth. Identify your research question, collect your data, and share your results with the Climate Detectives community. At the end of the project, teams selected by the National Organizers will be invited by ESA for a learning and celebration event to take place in June 2024.

More details will be published soon, but until then get inspired with the amazing work done by the Climate Detectives Teams in 2022-2023 and visit the project gallery.

Climate Detectives is run by ESA in collaboration with its ESERO network.

CanSat

Kick-off: 19 September

Suggested for: 14 to 19 years old

What’s it like to make a real space project from A to Z? Work together as a team to imagine, build, launch and operate a CanSat to find out!

CanSat challenges high-school students to fit the key components of a satellite in the volume of a soda can.

National competitions are run annually by ESA’s ESERO offices, and other national partners. From school year 2023-24, the national winning teams will be welcomed by ESA at its ESTEC site for a brand-new learning and celebration event: ‘Space Engineer for a Day’, to take place at the end of June 2024.

The European Astro Pi Challenge

Kick-off: 18 September

Suggested for: up to 19 years old

Have you ever dreamt of creating an experiment that could run in space? It’s easier than you think! All you need to do is write a computer program for our special Raspberry Pi computers, called Astro Pis, which are located on the International Space Station (ISS). In the Mission Zero challenge for beginners, you can collect colour and luminosity measurements and create your own pixel art image for the astronauts. For the more advanced Mission Space Lab challenge, there’s an exciting new activity planned for 2023/24 using the camera and sensors of an Astro Pi computer. Mission Zero will kick off on 18 September, and Mission Space Lab will begin on November 6th.

Astro Pi is run by ESA (with its ESERO network) in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Find out more at Astro-pi.org.

 

Moon Camp Challenge

Kick-off: 21 September

Suggested for: up to 19 years old

The 2023-2024 is bringing you a new and enhanced Moon Camp Challenge! Take on a new space adventurer role with your team and design a habitat on the lunar surface or go beyond the Moon and explore other worlds in our Solar System. Join the Moon Camp Challenge and design your project related to the human exploration of space in this more flexible and open format.

Your project can range from a scientific experiment, a hands-on project, a design of space infrastructures, a 3D design of an astronaut base, a 3D printing model, a virtual or augmented reality world and much more. Select the topic and format that best fits your team and get creative!

All teams that submit a project will receive a participation certificate and will be invited to participate in a final online event with an ESA astronaut and space experts.

More details will be announced in September, until then get inspired with the winning teams’ projects from 2022-23 at www.mooncampchallenge.org.

Moon Camp is a partnership between ESA (with its ESERO network) and the Airbus Foundation, in collaboration with Autodesk.

 

Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut

Kick-off: 20 September

Suggested for: up to 14 years old

It’s time to get up, move your body, and train like an astronaut! In Mission X, you’ll learn the key elements to keeping fit and staying healthy in space and on Earth. Complete physical exercises and scientific investigations developed by scientists and astronaut trainers. Earn steps to help mascots Luna and Leo walk to the Moon.

Mission X is a collaboration between ESA and the UK Space Agency, facilitated by the ESERO network and other National Organisers.

Find more information in trainlikeanastronaut.org.

 

The latest updates from the Teacher Support area

Upcoming workshops for Teachers

Engineers Week 2024- Space Debris
02/03/2024 - 08/03/2024
Read More »
Science Week CPD
Fully Booked
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ESERO Space Goes To school – Science Week
Check back in early 2024 for details.
Read More »

The latest news from ESERO & ESA

EIRSAT-1 is officially in orbit!

December 04, 2023
ESERO Ireland

Launch of EIRSAT-1

November 30, 2023
ESERO Ireland

Ireland’s first satellite EIRSAT-1

November 13, 2023
ESERO Ireland