On 4 May 2013 at 04:06 (CEST), when the European Proba-V satellite lifts off on a Vega launcher with the primary mission of observing vegetation from space, it will be carrying another instrument on board – one that will be keeping an 'eye' on aircraft.
Currently, safety considerations related to wake vortices force pilots of small and medium-sized aircraft to maintain a separation of about 10 kilometres from heavier planes flying ahead of them.
A successful experiment by DLR in cooperation with the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich has opened up new possibilities in cryptography. For the first time, researchers have managed to transmit a quantum key from a fast-moving object.
From the outside it looks like just a large industrial robotic arm with a cockpit, but to the pilot inside the simulator, it feels like a real aircraft. The pilot sits at the controls, and the flight commands are converted into corresponding movements of the robotic arm in real time.
For the first time, researchers at DLR have been able to carry out noise measurements inside a helicopter engine. To do so, researchers from the Division of Engine Acoustics at the DLR Institute of Propulsion Technology in Berlin used new hot gas microphone probes specially designed for investigating the processes responsible for noise generation.
Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Göttingen have discovered a way to make helicopters more manoeuvrable.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is using knowledge for tomorrow to shape the future of our society today. DLR is a world-renowned partner for research and will continue to develop its international network in 2013 by establishing new collaborations with research institutes and universities.
Reliably monitoring extensive areas of the sea is a major challenge for the coastguard and emergency relief services. Unmanned aircraft are expected to make a critical contribution to this in the future.
Many disciplines are involved in the design and development of an aircraft. To obtain the best combination of wings, fuselage and engines, researchers must work closely together and share their expertise effectively.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and 13 leading representatives of the European aviation industry and research sector have jointly agreed to intensify their cooperation in the field of eco-efficient aviation.
On 11 September 2012 at the ILA Berlin Air Show, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced a future collaboration in the field of aeronautics research.
Every year, there is a six percent increase in the volume of air traffic. To make air travel more environment-friendly and quieter, researchers at DLR, together with partners Airbus, EADS Innovation Works and Cassidian Air Systems, have been carrying out research to reduce the aerodynamic drag of aircraft and have developed an alternative to the traditional leading-edge slat.
Microscopic holes in the outer skin of an aircraft, wings with elastically deforming leading edges and steep approach flights - these are just some of the innovations from DLR for the future of aviation.
The future of aerospace will be showcased by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) at the International Aerospace Exhibition (Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung; ILA) in Berlin, from 11 to 16 September 2012.
For years, Christine Arlt manipulated the tiniest of particles – 'nanos'. Today, the 32-year-old researcher is Deputy Director of the Institute of Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Thunderstorms have a significant effect on the formation of ozone. Nitrogen oxide is produced as a result of lightning; this in turn yields ozone at altitudes of 10 kilometres. Strong updraughts in thunderstorms also transport emissions from the ground into the upper atmosphere.
Insects are capable of masterful feats of flying; whenever they witness locusts flying long distances or moths hovering over flowers, aerodynamicists can only marvel.
Lufthansa AG has conducted a long-term test of biokerosene on 1187 scheduled flights. This involved one of the engines of an Airbus A321 being powered by a fuel mixture containing 50 percent biosynthetic kerosene.
Helicopter flights and landings in poor visibility conditions always present pilots with special challenges. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has now completed a series of tests with a new helmet mounted display and has brought it into use a flight simulator.
The Singapore Airshow, the largest aerospace trade fair in Asia and an important meeting place for the global aviation industry, will be held from 14 to 19 February 2012.