About us

Trailer: DLR at a glance
DLR is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures.

Trailer: DLR at a glance

Your consent to the storage of data ('cookies') is required for the playback of this video on Youtube.com. You can view and change your current data storage settings at any time under privacy.

Trailer: DLR at a glance
DLR is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures.

DLR has 30 locations in Germany: Cologne (headquarters), Aachen, Aachen-Merzbrück, Augsburg, Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cochstedt, Cottbus, Dresden, Geesthacht, Göttingen, Hamburg, Hanover, Jena, Jülich, Lampoldshausen, Neustrelitz, Oberpfaffenhofen, Oldenburg, Rheinbach, Stade, St. Augustin, Stuttgart, Trauen, Ulm, Weilheim and Zittau. DLR also has offices in Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

In the fiscal year 2020, DLR's budget for research and operations was 1261 million euro, 44 percent of which was third-party funding acquired through competitive tendering. The space budget managed by DLR amounted to 1552 million euro (excluding EUMETSAT). Of this, the German contribution to financing the European Space Agency (ESA) was 945 million euros. Consequently, the ESA share accounted for 61 percent of the total space budget.

Around 305 million euros were allocated to the National Space Programme, which accounts for a share of 20 percent. For the research and technology sector, the total amount was around 301 million euros. The research space sector thus accounted for 19 percent of the total space budget. The DLR Projektträger funding was 2240 million euros and the Project Management Agency for Aeronautics Research and Technology had a budget of 202 million euros.

DLR's values

DLR's identity is that of a research institution focused on scientific excellence. It also acts as a capable administrative organisation that strengthens Germany as a location for knowledge and innovation. DLR’s activities focus on its role within society and its responsibility towards clients, business partners, affiliates and employees, as well as on sustainable action. It is within this context that DLR contributes to solving societal issues.

The following principles apply to all DLR activities:

  • The ethics of scientific work
  • Sustainable action and implementation of the human rights strategy (pursuant to § 6 of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act)
  • The reconciliation of work with family life and partnerships, and support for the professional development of employees
  • The improvement of occupational and industrial safety and the protection of health
  • The preservation and protection of the environment

These basic principles are laid down in a binding code of conduct. DLR encourages all clients, contractors, suppliers and other business partners to act in accordance with these principles beyond the scope of its own activities.

Working at DLR

DLR’s performance is based on its well trained and highly motivated employees, who are able to continue their training while at DLR. Equal opportunities are a top priority. Flexible working hours, part-time employment and special support measures ensure that work and family life can be satisfactorily combined. Equal opportunities and diversity are a top priority. Flexible working hours, part-time employment and special support measures ensure that work and family life can be easily combined. Current vacancies can be found on the DLR career portal.

Executive Board and Committees

DLR is organised under German private law as a chartered non-profit organisation. The statutory bodies of the organisation are the General Assembly, the Senate, the Space Committee, the Executive Board and the Scientific-Technical Advisory Council.

Sustainability

As a national research centre, DLR ensures that sustainability is an intrinsic part of its overall approach and guiding principles.

Strategy 2030

Conducting cutting-edge research, strengthening core competencies, harnessing potential synergies and providing incentives for innovation – this is DLR’s increasingly strong response to the new challenges of the 21st century and the basis of its efforts to help solve them. The DLR Strategy 2030 charts the course for the future and is based on three guiding principles.

History of DLR

DLR and its predecessor organisations have a history spanning over 115 years, including one of the world's first institutions dedicated to aeronautics research. Key research and countless inventions that now shape and improve modern life emerged within DLR and its forerunners.

The organisation

The German Aerospace Center is not just the aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. It combines its scientific work and technological developments in these areas with its expertise in energy, transport, security and digitalisation.

DLR in numbers

Budget, financing, revenue and other noteworthy information about DLR – this page serves as an overview of official figures and data about DLR.

Large-scale research facilities

The construction and operation of large-scale research facilities is a statutory task of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The facilities, as well as the research aircraft and helicopters, enable DLR to carry out its research in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, security and digitalisation. The research infrastructure is used across institutes and programmes. National and international partners from research and industry can benefit from DLR's infrastructure and know-how.

Executive Departments

Procurement and Compliance

Downloads

Brochure: DLR at a glance 2021

1.3 MB | PDF

DLR’s work is diverse and geared towards the needs of society. It focuses on research in the areas of mobility, energy, communications, security, digitalisation and, of course, aeronautics and space, which gave DLR its name 60 years ago.