Space

Programme Themes

Earth Observation
DLR tailors its Earth observation activities to the current and future scientific, societal, political and economic challenges posed by global processes and changes.Earth observation using remote sensing methods is crucial for a deeper understanding of the Earth system. The procedures and methods developed at DLR for continuous observation, recording and evaluation of the Earth system can provide reliable information and applications for a broad spectrum of societal, political and industrial activities.
Space Exploration
Space exploration focuses on the formation and evolution of the Solar System and fundamental questions about the origin and existence of life in the universe. Planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids and comets are being carefully examined and explored by means of highly sophisticated remote sensing and innovative in-situ missions to answer three fundamental questions:
Research under Space Conditions
The Research under Space Conditions programme concerns itself primarily with investigations in the fields of materials science, plasma physics, medicine and the life sciences. The comparison of experimental results derived in space under microgravity conditions with those obtained on Earth enables an improved understanding of the fundamental mechanisms and processes in these areas.
Communication, Navigation and Quantum Technology
Modern societies depend on the availability of modern communications and navigation infrastructure. The networked processes in industry, trade and transport require spatially and temporally unrestricted and secure access to the latest data and information in order to produce and offer their goods and services cost-effectively. Digital communications, navigation services and access to other data, information, services, and entertainment programmes have also become commonplace in the private sector.
Space Transportation
The research and development activities carried out by DLR in the Space Transportation programme aim to improve existing launch vehicles, pave the way for future systems and ensure that they continue to be competitive in the international markets served by both private and commercial launch providers. This aims to guarantee the German national government, the EU and ESA independent scientific and economically viable access to space in the future.
Robotics
Robotic systems are an indispensable part of many space activities. DLR's robotics research and development focuses on robotic assistance systems for use in space, on-orbit servicing and planetary exploration robotics.
Space System Technology
The Space Systems Technology programme is aimed at developing new and innovative technologies for future space missions. All the essential steps are addressed, from mission concept to design development and technical implementation, and on to the validation of individual components and complete systems under real space conditions.

Missions

Publications

Institutes

Infrastructure

Large-scale research facilities
The portfolio at DLR currently comprises some 180 large-scale research facilities at 15 locations, including the polar regions. DLR also makes its large-scale facilities available to partners from industry and academia as part of its cooperative research activities.

News / Space

Links

What a Sight - Space Looking out for World Heritage

Contact

Harald Hofmann

Responsible for "Communication, Navigation and Quantum Technology"

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Programme Space R&D

Telephone: +49 2203 601-2732

Hansestraße 115
51149 Köln

Contact

Dr. Roland Pleger

Responsible for "Space System Technology" and "Space Transportation"

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Programme Space R&D

Telephone: +49 2203 601-2786

Hansestraße 115
51149 Köln

Contact

Carl Jan Keuck

Responsible for "Research under Space Conditions", "Earth Observation" and "Coordinator for DLR Space Research in the EU"

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Programme Space R&D

Telephone: +49 2203 601-3435

Hansestraße 115
51149 Köln

Contact

Timm Roegler

Responsible for "Space Science and Exploration", "Space Robotics" and "Coordinator for Space Research in the HGF"

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Programme Space R&D

Telephone: +49 2203 601-2798

Hansestraße 115
51149 Köln

Contact

Space calendar

Space calendar
When will the next rocket take off for the International Space Station ISS? What German or European satelitte missions are to be launched within the year? The DLR space calendar keeps you up to date.

Space Administration

Space administration
Acting on behalf of the Federal Government, DLR Space Administration designs and implements Germany's Space Program, which integrates all German space activities on the national and European plane.

Facts / Space

Space – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

1302
Earth observation – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

1017
Space research – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

35
Research under space conditions – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

31
Space transport – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

86
Space systems technology (incl. robotics) – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

83
Communications and navigation – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

15
Space robotic – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

1017,35,31,86,83,15,35

35

Jobs / Space

PhD position

Impact of climate change on cirrus cloud properties in global storm resolving simulations

Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Oberpfaffenhofen

DLR's GARS O'Higgins Antarctic Station

Space Research

Earth Observation

Space Exploration

Research under Space Conditions

Communication, Navigation and Quantum Technology

Space Transportation

Robotics

Space System Technology

InSight - journey to Mars

Ariane - Europe's access to space

Galileo – a key programme for European aerospace

ISS - the largest technology project of all time: an outpost of humanity in space

Mars Express - Insight into the history of the Martian climate

TerraSAR-X - Germany's radar eye in space

Brochure: Space research at DLR (2019)

The German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD)

Flight Experiments facility

Institute of Aerospace Medicine

Institute of Atmospheric Physics

Institute of Communications and Navigation

Institute of Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems

Institute of Data Science

Institute of Material Physics in Space

Institute of Materials Research

Institute of Optical Sensor Systems

Institute of Planetary Research

Institute of Quantum Technologies

Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics

Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing

Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics

Institute of Space Propulsion

Institute of Space Systems

Institute of System Dynamics and Control

Institute of Technical Physics

Large-scale research facilities

Clouds as a factor influencing the climate – EUREC4A field campaign aims to solve one of the great mysteries of climate science

Farewell to the Eu:CROPIS mission

Impressive cloud formations over Mars' northern polar ice cap

DLR phantoms undergo fit check in NASA’s Orion space capsule

CHEOPS space telescope to investigate extrasolar planets

CIMON-2 is on its way to the ISS

IntegriCom wins the Galileo Masters DLR Special Prize

UV-Bodyguard by ajuma – sophisticated technology to prevent sunburn

National Research Council Canada visits DLR

DLRmagazine 163 – Metropolitan transformer

GESTRA space radar passes its first test

Germany invests 3.3 billion euro in European space exploration and becomes ESA’s largest contributor

An astronaut controls a rover on Earth

Glaciers as landscape sculptors – the mesas of Deuteronilus Mensae

Earth observation portal CODE-DE entering next phase

Plasma crystal research on the ISS

DLR at AGRITECHNICA 2019

The Mars Mole and the challenging ground of the Red Planet

Space 19+ – Space for Europe – Made in Germany

How can Africa make better use of space applications?

What a Sight - Space Looking out for World Heritage

Space calendar

Space administration

Space – Revenues 2018 (Data in million euro)

Impact of climate change on cirrus cloud properties in global storm resolving simulations

Main menu

Pascale Ehrenfreund takes office as President of the IAF

Space – accessibility, diplomacy and cooperation

Research into climate-neutral air transport

Light-dark shadows in the Martian highlands

The DLR delegation during a visit to the JAXA Tsukuba Space Centre on 31 July 2019

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and DLR welcome European policy-makers to Brussels

DLR strengthens Germany as a technology location with seven new institutes

DLR and ONERA – joint research into AI for the aerospace sector

A rover for Phobos and Deimos

eROSITA – the hunt for Dark Energy begins

DLR at the Paris Air Show 2019

We are DLR!

Global Conference on Space in Emerging Countries

The DLR Center for Lightweight-Production-Technology celebrates 10 years of research

EU Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska visits DLR

New test stand for Ariane 6 upper stage at DLR Lampoldshausen

DLR in 2019 – Research for the Energy Transition, environment-friendly aviation and a greater understanding of the Universe

High-tech support for humanitarian aid