💥🔭 Here comes the boom! UCD astronomers have co-led the discovery of a mysterious, never-before-seen cosmic explosion. A gamma-ray explosion unlike any discovered before has been observed by an international team of researchers, including astronomers from the UCD School of Physics. Telescopes on Earth and in space detected an unusual series of repeated gamma-ray bursts from outside the Milky Way galaxy over the course of a day. Gamma-ray bursts (GRB) are among the most powerful explosions in the universe and are normally caused by the catastrophic destruction of stars. However, no known scenario can completely explain the long and recurrent explosion observed in July.

🛰️🫡 Mission Accomplished: EIRSAT-1 to deorbit after two year historic journey Ireland’s first satellite EIRSAT-1 has completed its mission orbiting the Earth and will de-orbit in the coming days. The mission trained more than 50 students, primarily postgraduate researchers in physics, engineering, computer science and mathematics. This included 13 PhD students. The launch of the CubeSat, built by students and faculty at University College Dublin under the guidance of the ESA - European Space Agency (ESA), in 2023 marked a major milestone in Ireland’s space journey. Its success demonstrated the country’s ability to design, build, and operate a satellite, strengthening national expertise and laying the foundation for future growth in the Irish space sector. “Although it's a sad day for the team, we're proud that EIRSAT-1 has reached the end of its mission, having achieved all of its goals,” said Professor Lorraine Hanlon, Director of the EIRSAT-1 project and UCD C-Space, the Centre for Space Research. “We're keen to apply what we have learned, building new missions and collaborating to grow Ireland's space sector. I want to acknowledge the achievements of everyone who played a role on the team, and worked incredibly hard to make it such a success.”