Transport | 25. January 2010 | posted by Jan Oliver Löfken

Will we be driving only electric cars in twenty years' time?

The first, purely electrically-driven compact and sports cars are already on the market, but they are much more expensive than their classic diesel or petrol engine counterparts and have a range of no more than 100 kilometres. Only light, high-performance and cheap lithium-ion batteries will help electric cars achieve a breakthrough. Will such electricity storage devices reach production standard in the near future? read more

Space | 22. January 2010 | posted by Jan Wörner

NASA and DLR, two organizations… mutual ideas

Charles Bolden and Jan Woerner

Because of NASA's achievements, the United States continues to be regarded as the most important and strongest nation with regard to space. Until now, the relationship with other countries, including Germany, has been characterised by the fundamental view that all American missions should be realised using American expertise on the critical path. The future role of partners was a central subject during the visit by Charles Bolden. read more

Space | 22. January 2010 | posted by Marco Trovatello

News about SOFIA

The SOFIA ‘flying observatory’, a collaboration between NASA and DLR, is making great progress. After two test flights in December 2009, a third successful flight was made on 15 January 2010. A brief news roundup. read more

Transport | 18. January 2010 | posted by Jan Oliver Löfken

Car exhaust gases as a source of electricity?

In cars with internal combustion engines, a large part of the energy stored in diesel or petrol is simply dissipated as lost heat. It is precisely these hot exhaust gases that an increasing number of scientists worldwide want to use for more efficient electricity generation. They are developing and testing thermoelectric generators that can generate electricity from temperature differences of several hundred degrees. But does electricity from hot car exhaust gases really save fuel? read more

Energy | 12. January 2010 | posted by Jan Oliver Löfken

Question of the week: How much energy does the Sun send us every day?

Our Sun is a gigantic fusion reactor with an expected lifetime of about ten billion years. Although this period of time is unimaginably long from a human perspective, half of it has already elapsed. That means that our star, a very ordinary one in astronomical terms, will still be radiating the same amount of energy as it now does long after our resources of uranium, coal, gas or crude oil have been used up. How much energy from the Sun reaches us here on Earth? read more

Energy | 12. January 2010 | posted by Dorothee Bürkle

Which energy source will we use in the future? Energy questions for ‘Energy’ Science Year 2010

Can we refuel in the future simply using the Sun? How long will the Earth’s oil reserves last? Which energy source will our grandchildren use? Many people are asking scientific researchers about the future of our energy supply. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung; BMBF) has chosen the slogan ‘The Future of Energy’ for Science Year 2010. In the DLR Energy Blog, science journalist Jan Oliver Löfken will answer a question about energy each week during the year. read more

Other | 12. January 2010 | posted by Jan Wörner

2010 ...

My blog as Chairman of DLR has been set up to communicate internally and externally, focusing not only on general topics but also giving more personal insights. With this in mind, here, at the turn of the year, is the first article. read more

Other | 12. January 2010 | posted by Marco Trovatello

Welcome to the DLR Blogs

Today, we have taken our new DLR Blogs platform live; we wish to offer you a warm welcome. We are starting with three blogs. Firstly, there is a blog by Jan Wörner, chairman of the DLR Executive board, who offers insights into his work. Secondly, we have started our NewsBlog, in which we intend to publish the short stories, pictures, videos or other items of interest that do not find a place on the homepage of our web portal – www.dlr.de/en. Last but not least, there's the EnergyBlog. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung; BMBF) has nominated 'The Future of Energy' as the topic for the german Science Year 2010. This is more than sufficient reason for us to address the subject with a dedicated blog, in which we will also answer an 'Energy Question of the Week'. read more