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Dublin-based space AI company Ubotica picked up an award from the European Space Agency this week, earning recognition as one of Europe's most promising space startups.

The ESA Rising Stars Award was announced at Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen on 18 November, part of the agency's initiative to spotlight high-potential companies in the sector. Ubotica, which develops AI processing technology for satellites, was among the startups selected from across the continent.

The company specialises in onboard computer vision and machine learning that allows satellites to analyse imagery in orbit rather than transmitting raw data back to Earth.

That is becoming increasingly valuable as satellite constellations grow larger and generate ever more data.

The award adds to what's shaping up as a strong year for the Dublin firm, which has been expanding its commercial partnerships whilst maintaining close ties with institutional space programmes.

Separately, Ubotica is also a finalist for the 2025 SpaceNews Icon Awards in the "Space AI Partnership" category, alongside NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Open Cosmos, for their Dynamic Targeting in-orbit AI demonstration. Winners will be announced on 2 December in Washington, D.C.

The Bremen Space Expo wrapped up on Thursday after three days of meetings, pitch sessions, and networking across Hall 7 at Europe's largest B2B space industry event. Ireland fielded its biggest delegation yet, six companies gathered at a single pavilion under the Enterprise Ireland banner.

The unified booth marks a shift from previous years. Rather than scattering Irish companies across the exhibition floor, Enterprise Ireland put everyone together: Réaltra Space Systems, Mbryonics, Celtonn, Emerald Aero Group, Farran and Pilot Photonics.

Celtonn is the first Irish startup through the EU’s CASSINI Business Accelerator, and pitched for more business at Demo Day in Bremen. It’s already won an ESA contract for its V-band amplifier tech and is currently closing a €1.5 million funding round. Founded in 2023, Celtonn develops high-frequency communications and sensing technologies for space and radar applications.

Dr Leo Martinez and Colm Foley, both senior advisers at Enterprise Ireland's Munich office, led the delegation. Munich handles the broader Germany, Austria and Switzerland market, important for Irish space companies looking for ESA contracts, satellite manufacturers, and defence work.

With the delegations heading home, most companies were giving little away on specific outcomes. But the attendance alone signals Ireland is taking a more important place in Europe's space supply chain.

Maynooth University's MAUVE programme is edging closer to its moment in orbit, though not quite as close as originally planned.

The satellite, designed to study the ultraviolet signatures of Earth's atmosphere and contribute to climate monitoring research, was set to launch aboard SpaceX's Transporter-15 rideshare mission sometime this week.

Instead, it will have to wait until 26 November at the earliest, joining dozens of other smallsats queued up for the sun-synchronous orbit workhorse flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The delay appears to stem from an FAA-mandated temporary restriction on the launch window at Vandenberg rather than any technical issues with the rocket or its passengers.

For sun-synchronous missions like Transporter rideshares, timing is everything—the orbit requires precise alignment with the Earth's rotation and sunlight conditions, which means only specific daily windows will do.

When those windows close, the next suitable opportunity can be a week away. That's what seems to have happened here, pushing the mission back by six or seven days from its original 19-20 November target.

SpaceX's Transporter programme has become remarkably reliable for getting university satellites and commercial payloads into orbit at relatively affordable prices, but the strict orbital mechanics of sun-synchronous launches leave little room for flexibility when conflicts arise.

According to the latest from Space X, the November 26 launch window opens at 10:18 a.m. Pacific time - 6.18 pm Irish time.

For the team at Maynooth, and the satellite’s UK maker Blue Skies Space, it's a short additional wait for what promises to be a significant milestone in Irish space science.

The MAUVE mission represents the kind of ambitious, internationally connected research that Irish universities are increasingly pursuing in the space sector.

Once it reaches orbit, the satellite will join a growing constellation of Earth observation instruments measuring atmospheric chemistry and environmental change, with Maynooth's contribution focused on ultraviolet data that complements other monitoring efforts.

Applications for ESA's 2026 Student Internship Programme close in nine days. If you're planning to apply, prioritise these:

Target specific roles rather than scattering applications. Tailor your CV for each—two pages maximum, using keywords from the job description.

Your motivation letter carries weight. One page. Explain why you want this particular internship, what draws you to ESA, and how your experience fits. Use ESA's terminology.

Show genuine interest in space. Reference actual projects, societies, or leadership roles. Choose referees who can be specific about your work.

Former interns will tell you how they did it.

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