About the author

Christian Grimm

Christian Grimm

Christian Grimm has been working as a researcher at the DLR Institute of Space Systems in the Department of Exploration Systems since 2012. While studying aerospace engineering, he participated in several international student projects and internships in industry and has worked at, among other places, the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Airbus Defence & Space (formerly EADS Astrium) in Friedrichshafen and the 'Miniatur Wunderland' in Hamburg. For his master's degree, he completed the Joint European Master Programme in Space Science and Technology (Space Master) at the University of Würzburg in Germany, at Lulea University of Technology in Sweden and at Cranfield University in England. In 2011 he finished his studies by writing a master’s thesis at DLR on the development of new adaptive rover wheels for planetary vehicles. Here, his interest in science and technologies for the exploration of the Solar System was confirmed.

Since 2012, Christian Grimm has been working as a researcher at the DLR Institute of Space Systems in the Department of Exploration Systems. Since late 2011 he has been part of the MASCOT team preparing and coordinating the mission of the asteroid lander on the Japanese parent probe Hayabusa-2. During the development phase in Bremen, Christian was responsible for ensuring that all of the different components of the lander would work together in a real situation, and that the functionalities of the individual components would not interfere with one another. In addition, he headed the test program that examined the system and the internal mechanisms in the expected environmental conditions. Finally, Christian and his team of integrators assembled the MASCOT lander in Bremen and secured it to the carrier satellite Hayabusa2 in Japan shortly before its launch.

Posts from Christian Grimm

Space | 17. September 2018

Point of no return – when MASCOT separates from Hayabusa2

The date has been set! On 3 October 2018, after almost four years in space, the Franco-German MASCOT asteroid lander will separate from its Japanese mother craft Hayabusa2 and free-fall onto the surface of the asteroid Ryugu. The separation, driven by a small mechanism, will be a pivotal moment on which much depends. Once triggered, it will create a mechanically coupled chain reaction that will irrevocably initiate the mission. This is the point of no return. The way in which the mechanism functions and the possible risks of separation are briefly outlined here. read more

Space | 15. July 2016

Half-time for MASCOT – half the journey is completed

On December 3rd 2014, the French-German MASCOT asteroid lander was launched with its carrier probe Hayabusa2 from Tanegashima, an island about 40 kilometres south of the Japanese mainland. With MASCOT halfway to its destination, we look back on all that has happened since the launch. read more

Space | 23. January 2015

Aufbruch ins unentdeckte Land - Start von Hayabusa2 und MASCOT

Es ist gerade einmal wenige Wochen her, dass die ESA-Mission Rosetta die Landeeinheit Philae in einer spektakulären Aktion auf dem Kometen 'Chury' abgesetzt hat. Und noch bevor dessen erste Daten genauer analysiert werden konnten, wurde mit der japanischen Mission Hayabusa2 und dem mitgeführten Lander Mascot der nächste Hoffnungsträger zur Erforschung des Sonnensystems auf die Reise geschickt. read more

Space | 05. November 2014

One last look - farewell, MASCOT

The last adjustments have been made and the final functionality tests have been completed. Following the successful installation of MASCOT into the Hayabusa-2 spacecraft in Sagamihara, the final preparations have taken place at the Tanegashima launch complex in Japan. The attachment of the solar sails – carefully folded up above MASCOT for the launch – offers the last opportunity to see MASCOT. read more

Space | 30. June 2014

Schritt für Schritt zum fertigen Asteroidenlander

Nach all den Tests und Entwicklungsarbeiten im vergangenen Jahr ist es ein unglaubliches Gefühl nun das finale Modul fertig zu stellen, welches auch schon bald auf seine lange Mission geschickt wird. Für das Integrationsteam ist es definitiv eines der Highlights im gesamten Projekt. Aber drehen wir die Zeit noch mal ein paar Wochen zurück und schauen uns rückblickend an, wie das MASCOT Flugmodell zum Leben erwachte! read more

Space | 26. August 2013

First test on Japanese soil

The MASCOT asteroid lander will be delivered to the Japanese space agency JAXA at the start of next year. It will be integrated into the Hayabusa2 spacecraft and prepared for launch, scheduled for late 2014. There is still a long way to go, but there is little time! read more

Space | 21. August 2013

MASCOT: A 'shoebox' with complex inner workings

The 'small’ asteroid lander MASCOT will set off for asteroid 1999 JU3 on board the Japanese Hayabusa-2 mission at the end of 2014. Although from the outside it seems to be the size of a shoebox, the lander’s stature is deceiving! Its sophisticated and highly developed payload, and its powerful communication and computing system make MASCOT a high-tech, albeit very compact, autonomous spacecraft, perfectly equipped to cope with the arduous and long mission it faces. read more