SensL seals the deal with European Space Agency

Trade

24 June 2011

Minister for Research & Innovation Sean Sherlock has announced that Irish sensor development firm SensL has signed a three-year, multi-project contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). The agreement is expected to generate in excess of €1 million in the initial program phases.

Based in Cork, SensL develops highly innovative and advanced silicon photomultipliers (SPM), used in applications such as medical imaging, biophotonics and hazard and threat detection.

The ESA contract will involve the deployment of SensL’s silicon photomultipliers in a number of applications. SPM sensors will be deployed in range-finding LIDAR cameras that will determine the location of suitable terrain for lunar landings. Looking at light levels down to the photon level, SensL’s SPMs will provide a visual map of the area that the rover will land and operate in. In another ESA application, SensL technology will be used in gamma-ray spectroscopy for element and isotope analysis.

Congratulating SensL, Minister Sherlock remarked that, “SensL is one of the growing number of Irish companies performing in the premier league in terms of global space technology and has confirmed its position as a supplier of highly innovative, cost effective solutions in the cutting-edge space technology market sector. In this, SensL is benefiting from Ireland’s membership in the European Space Agency in the context of a national space strategy to support Irish technology companies.

The Minister highlighted that this year Ireland will contribute over €14 million to the ESA. Since 2000 Ireland’s ESA membership has contributed to the development of a highly knowledge-intensive industry sector with over 70 Irish technology companies having secured ESA contracts.

ESA participation has a demonstrated direct effect on the participating companies’ ability to generate commercial export sales in the supply of products in the commercial space and non-space market. Over 70 Irish companies and research groups have secured an estimated €70m in ESA development contracts over the past ten years and this number is expected to grow significantly in the next three years.

CEO of SensL, Bryan Campbell commented that SensL “are very pleased to be working with the ESA, providing our most advanced detectors to the lunar exploration program. This relationship with ESA leverages the same earthbound applications of silicon photomultipliers that are driving our commercial success.”

Campbell added that, “Our success in winning the ESA program is a great example of SensL’s unique opportunities for dramatic growth in the coming years.”

Karrie Kehoe

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