Delegates from NASA, ESA, Canadian Space Agency, Airbus Space and Defence and United Space Alliance (division of Boeing & Lockheed Martin) will descend on Dublin next week to discuss the future technical requirements for the International Space Station. This is the first time the international working group has travelled to Ireland.

This group of International astronauts, scientists, academics and technologists are in Ireland to talk future technology requirements, procedures and standards for space exploration to be deployed on the International Space Station (ISS).

Officially called the Operations Data File (ODF) and International Procedure Viewer (iPV) Working Group, the week long series of workshops and meetings is hosted by the Dublin based software company Skytek. How astronauts will carry out certain processes, what instructions they need, what technology devices they will use and future technology possibilities will be discussed by the group that includes a number of NASA and ESA astronauts.

The CEO of host company Skytek Dr Sarah Bourke, said “The topics analysed in Dublin next week will help frame future space exploration and we are delighted to be part of this. We have a long history in developing technology for the space industry including European Space Agency, NASA and the International Space Station. Our technology was first deployed onto the Space station in 2005 and has been in daily use by astronauts ever since.”

The hosting of the event in Dublin for the first time is seen as an endorsement of Skytek and the space industry in Ireland.

The visit includes a week long itinerary of events kicking off in Dublin on 15th September. Although the focus of the meetings relates to ISS requirements, Skytek is also organising a number of additional related events, including a public lecture by esteemed Astronaut Leopold Eyharts the Tuesday evening, September 16th, in the Science Gallery.

Tony Mc Donald, an executive with Irish government agency, Enterprise Ireland welcomed the news “This event places Ireland to the forefront of space technologies. Irish companies, like Skytek, are testimony to the success of our space programme in Ireland.”

Skytek was founded in 1997, is a Dublin based software company that has developed information and operation-based tools for the Space, Aircraft Maintenance, and Emergency Response industries. Its procedural technology helps guide Astronauts through complex tasks while its data analysis and collaboration technology helps streamline emergency response provider’s capabilities and increase efficiency in aircraft maintenance.