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A rotating earth and an oscillating pendulum

Already in the 19th century the French physicist Jean Bernard Léon Foucault used the pendulum that now bears his name to prove that the earth rotates around its own axis. The subject of earth rotation has immediate implications for planning and carrying out space missions, particularly those involving earth observation from satellites. Satellite orbit planes, just like a pendulum's plane of oscillations, are fixed in space. Only by exploiting Earth's rotation and selecting a polar orbit can a satellite like TerraSAR-X, whose data are received in Neustrelitz, monitor the entire surface of our home planet.

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The countdown has started

Ten seconds to go. All eyes are glued to the rocket and waiting for the launch. At last: lift-off! The rocket is actually rising! It shoots for the sky, but changes its flight path after a few seconds, tilts toward the ground and then crashes into it tip first. The observers rush to the place of impact and a voice from the sideline calls out, "19 meters, great, that test was really super!"

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Microgravity in a small drop tower

Our daily "fight" against gravity begins already in the morning. Getting up out of bed demands an expenditure of effort which makes it possible for us to stand erect and walk. Without being aware of it, we are making use of a famous axiom of Isaac Newton, "action equals reaction". That means that for every force there is an equal and oppositely-directed reactive force. We all know from experience and observation how objects behave under the influence of gravity: objects fall to the ground; heavy liquids like water don't mix with light liquids like oil.

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Under vacuum

In 1654 when the mayor of Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke, conducted an impressive experiment for curious observers they were astounded: Using two hemispheres which could be joined with an airtight seal, as well as a valve and an air pump, he generated a vacuum so strong that two teams of eight horses each were not able to separate the hemispheres.

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Navigating with satellites - from GPS to Galileo

It's hard to imagine a day without satellite navigation. GPS equipment wouldn't function. The navigation system in the car wouldn't show which route to follow. Cruise ships would have to stay in port. Oil would become scarce since large tankers would have trouble finding their way at sea. Airplanes would be delayed because they would need to make use of old-fashioned methods of navigation. Rescue teams would not as speedily reach those who need their service.

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Live from space - looking down to Earth

The small satellite built at Berlin Technical University, named LAPAN-TUBSat (45 cm x 45 cm x 27cm, 56 kg), has been enthusing its builders and users for several years by supplying live transmissions of images from space. While it is receiving data the satellite with its two permanently installed cameras can be computer-controlled from the ground and aimed at some target area. Despite the fact that it is flying at a speed of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour in an orbit which is 640 kilometers above the earth!

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NOAA - from raw data to satellite image

At DLR in Neustrelitz, every day, around the clock, huge amounts of data are received from satellites flying overhead, archived and processed. And at DLR_School_Lab it's possible to observe the associated processes and even actively intervene in them. This is done with NOAA satellite data, which are received and analyzed in the DLR_School_Lab.

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Communicating via waves

The roots of today's DLR in Neustrelitz can be traced back to a so-called "radio station" established by the military some 100 years ago. It engaged in research and development associated with the use of electromagnetic waves. With the discovery of these waves by Heinrich Hertz between 1885 and 1889 the age of wireless telecommunication began - including long-distance broadcasting.

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Fascination of light - rainbows and whatnot

Light is a basic requirement for life on Earth - for plants and animals as well as for us humans. For many living beings, eyes are their most important light-sensitive organ. As soon as a newborn child sees light for the first time it falls into a sleep-wake cycle. In the course of time a "biological rhythm" emerges, according to which we usually sleep when it's dark and are productive during daylight.

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A rotating earth and an oscillating pendulum

The countdown has started

Microgravity in a small drop tower

Under vacuum

Navigating with satellites

Live from space

NOAA

Communicating via waves

Fascination of light