The country’s first European Space Agency Phi-lab was launched on Thursday, marking a major milestone in Ireland’s space and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
Headquartered at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) in Mullingar, the new facility, run in collaboration with the AMBER Centre at Trinity College Dublin, will be Ireland’s national platform for space technology development, anchoring the country’s ambitions within Europe’s fast-growing space economy.
The launch forms part of a wider national commitment to the European Space Agency, with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment committing €170m in investment to ESA over the next five years.
ESA Phi-Lab Ireland forms part of the European Space Agency’s Phi-Lab initiative, whose mission is to bring research closer to commercialisation by bridging disruptive research and commercial needs.
The Phi-Lab Network matures technologies in advanced manufacturing, materials discovery, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics. These technologies have direct application across in-space and terrestrial manufacturing, agriculture, energy systems, climate innovation, and critical infrastructure.
Speaking at the launch, Barry Kennedy, CEO of IMR, described the new Phi-Lab as a defining moment for Ireland’s innovation landscape.
“Today marks a significant milestone in Ireland’s space and innovation ambition. This facility positions Ireland at the forefront of European space-enabled innovation, where advanced manufacturing, AI and data-driven technologies can be developed, tested and commercialised for global impact.
“Ultimately, this is about translating world-class research into real economic and societal value.”
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, said the launch reflects Ireland’s accelerating momentum within Europe’s space and Deep Tech sectors. “ESA Phi-Lab Ireland strengthens Ireland’s position as a hub for advanced research, innovation and high-value enterprise.
“It demonstrates our long-term commitment to supporting cutting-edge technologies that will drive competitiveness, create skilled jobs and deliver solutions to global challenges, from advanced manufacturing to industrial transformation.
The launch comes amid rapid growth for Ireland’s space and space-enabled innovation sector. Since the publication of Ireland’s ‘National Space Strategy for Enterprise’ in 2019, there are now 120 space-active companies working with ESA in Ireland.
This industry momentum is further reflected in an increasing number of Irish companies providing technologies and solutions to the commercial space sector globally, highlighting Ireland’s growing contribution to essential space infrastructure and the importance of initiatives like ESA Phi-Lab Ireland in supporting Irish industry to compete internationally.
