Featured topics

Here, DLR presents a wide range of topics in a generally understandable, clear and factual manner; topics that are relevant to society, the economy and politics, both on a national and international level. The Featured topics section presents facts and research topics comprehensively and through various multimedia formats, and illustrates the significance of current projects and missions in their respective contexts.

Driving innovation in research, technology and practical applications

Small satellites – compact all-rounders in space

They are lightweight, flexible, quickly deployable – and they are fundamentally changing spaceflight: small satellites are far more than miniature versions of their large orbital counterparts.

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Towards sustainable aviation

Climate-compatible aviation

The objective has now been set in Germany and Europe, with the aim of achieving climate compatibility in the economy and society. This is set out in the European Commission's Clean Industrial Deal, which reconciles decarbonisation with EU competitiveness.

Earlier detection, better response

Fighting wildfires with cutting-edge technology

Wildfires pose a serious threat to nature, the economy and society worldwide. They destroy forests, endanger public safety, threaten biodiversity and cause immense ecological and economic damage.

At the edge of the possible

Quantum technologies

Where classical technologies reach their limits, quantum technologies open up new possibilities for research, industry and business. New sensors, simulators, communication networks and computers with previously unattainable performance are made possible through the harnessing of quantum mechanical effects.

Energy source of the future

Hy­dro­gen rerearch

An economy without greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – this is Europe’s declared, 30-year goal for halting climate change. Renewable energies are expected to replace fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. Hydrogen will play an important role in the sustainable transformation of the energy supply system.

The future of rail transport

Tech­nolo­gies for the rail trans­port of the fu­ture

The railway was one of the most significant inventions to come out of industrialisation. It remains an abiding source of fascination, but now this world of locomotives, wagons, rails and signals is now associated with plenty of cutting-edge technology. Digitalisation, automation, new communications technologies and standards, modern materials and production engineering and the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence have the potential to make rail transport much more appealing and competitive in future.

Earth Observation

Study­ing the Earth sys­tem from space

How is Earth changing? Which processes are driving these changes? Instruments on board satellites make it possible to acquire comprehensive information about these matters. They can obtain global inventories and make precise local measurements. With long time series, they also allow researchers to look back in time and to better predict future processes. They can be used to record and document the changes taking place on Earth and thus reveal the causes and consequences of climate change in a unique way. These data form an essential basis for the development of measures at both political and societal levels.