Irish-developed gyroscope to launch into space

A gyroscope navigation system developed by an Irish company will be launched into space today as part of a mission to test and prepare planetary defences against incoming asteroids.

Innalabs, which is based in Blanchardstown, Dublin, designed and manufactured the ARIETIS-NS gyroscope navigation system for the European Space Agency "HERA" SpaceX launch.

The spacecraft is set to launch today from Cape Canaveral, Florida at approximately 2.52pm Irish time.

The satellite will be guided towards the Didymos asteroid system.

The objective of the 'HERA' mission is to monitor the after-effects of altering the trajectory of asteroids through kinetic impact, following on from the successful ‘DART’ mission by NASA, which launched in 2021.

These missions aim to test and prepare for planetary defence against incoming asteroids by altering their trajectory, should the day come when Earth needs to do so to defend itself.

"I am very proud of our young Irish company as through innovation and our people, we are creating Irish Space Heritage," said John O'Leary, CEO, Innalabs.

"Innalabs has navigation sensors and systems that have accrued over five million hours in space. Our involvement with almost all major space primes, who now rely on our inertial sensor technology on missions worth billions, is a testament to their trust in our products," Mr O'Leary said.