Varadis awarded €600,000 European space contract

VARADIS  Ltd, a Cork-based deep technology radiation detection company, has announced that it has won a significant contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The company’s novel radiation detection sensors and sub-systems are well known to the global space exploration industry and have already been used by astronauts in the International Space Station. Varadis technology is also used by several of the largest private and public sector organisations around the world.

The technology, Radiation Sensing Field Effect Transistors (RADFETs), is built on 30 years of research at Tyndall National Institute, and accurately measures the absorbed doses of ionizing radiation such as gamma rays, protons, and x-rays. Now ESA are expanding the use of this technology on satellites.

Satellite Communications (SATCOM) is a fast-growing industry expected to reach $40 billion by 2026 and the award of this contract, with a total value of €600k, will allow Varadis to design and manufacture a next-generation ‘plug and play’ radiation detection module for satellites.

Welcoming the announcement Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Damien English, stated: “This is very positive news for Varadis and I want to congratulate Brad Wrigley and his team on a significant commercial milestone. Varadis is just one of a growing number of cutting-edge Irish technology companies that is competing for, and winning, very significant European Space Agency contracts, in line with the National Space Strategy for Enterprise.”

Brad Wrigley, Varadis co-founder, and CEO, said: “As the smallest and most effective solution on the market with such an expansive detection range the plug and play module will provide our customers with huge tech gains and savings on time and in-house R&D costs when adding radiation detection to their satellites. By using the Varadis module configuration with defined electronic interfaces we minimise the risk on the integrity of customer’s existing system designs. Space on satellite circuitry boards is often at a premium for manufacturers. We’re incredibly grateful for the continued partnership with ESA and Enterprise Ireland. 

Peter Finnegan, Manager of ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland and Head of New Ventures at Tyndall, welcomed the announcement by stating that “Varadis is an ESA Business Incubation Centre Ireland supported company that is commercialising groundbreaking propriety technology that was developed at Tyndall.”