The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has urged Irish companies to engage in the €300 million European space technology industry and has said that there is an "unstoppable" momentum towards its development, in spite of last week's US shuttle tragedy.
Irish involvement in space-related activities is currently worth €30 million to the economy, the Taoiseach said in Galway last night when he opened a conference on space technology transfer.
As Mr Ahern arrived at the conference in the Ardilaun Hotel, he was greeted by a protest against the use of Shannon airport by US troops bound for the Gulf.
Thirty Irish companies, including four in Galway, have been involved in European Space Agency (ESA) projects. Ireland contributes more than €9 million annually to the €3 billion ESA budget, enabling companies here to bid for ESA contracts.
"The activities of the ESA may not be widely known in Ireland, but the impact of ESA on the industrial and scientific sectors in Ireland has been and continues to be highly significant," Mr Ahern said.
Software originally developed by a Dublin company, Skytek, for use on the International Space Station was now being used in industry to assist staff undertaking complex production and maintenance work in harsh environments.
Mr Pierre Brisson, programme manager for the ESA's technology transfer programme, outlined some of the benefits to industry at the conference, which was attended by representatives of Enterprise Ireland and more than 100 businesses.
Airbags in cars, lithium batteries for electric bicycles and equipment for Formula One racing cars had all benefited from technological developments designed originally for space exploration. New developments included the use of clips instead of braces for children's teeth and the use of sensors in babies' clothing to monitor infant physiology and help prevent cot deaths.