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Space flight for tomorrow –
the German Space Agency
at DLR

Space flight has captured people’s imagination since time immemorial. German ESA astronauts Dr Alexander Gerst and Dr Matthias Maurer inspired millions of people not only in Germany. For the first time in the history of humankind, in the Rosetta mission a lander touched down on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a German “mole” landed on Mars in the InSight mission, flights to the ISS are almost routine, with the Mars rover Perseverance, a small helicopter flew over a remote planet for the first time, and, with Germany involved, coloured 360-degree-3D images of the Red Planet can be created. Moreover, in the ExoMars mission another rover will land on Mars with German participation. Such missions give answers to the question how life came to our Earth and if there are other life forms in the universe. Likewise, millions of people are sharing our concerns regarding changes to the environment and climate on Earth. Others want to know: how can we make better and faster use of telecommunication or navigation services?

To answer these and many more questions, the German Space Agency at DLR headquartered in Bonn, establishes and implements the German space flight programme on behalf of the German Federal Government. The annual investments, mainly in top level research and technology “made in Germany” within this programme amount to about 1.3 billion euros, which also creates jobs and know-how in Germany.

Space flight is closely networked at the international level – the German Space Agency cooperates with partner companies and institutions in Germany, Europe, and all over the world. This cooperation takes place within the framework of the national space flight programme and with German contributions to the European Space Agency ESA and the European Organisation for the Use of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). Moreover, the German Space Agency is the contact for space flight topics of the European Union – first and foremost in the new EU programme Horizon Europe.

Our main contracting authority is the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). However, we also work for other ministries, in particular with regard to space flight applications, like, for example, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) or the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg). The space flight programme of the Federal Government offers a reliable political framework for self-reliant planning and action to economy and science, which ensures efficient use of public funds. Thus, our work contributes to shape the world of tomorrow through space flight.

Co-creating European space flight

ESA was founded on May 30, 1975 with the objective to foster international cooperation in space flight. Germany is a foundation member of the European Space Agency ESA.

Meanwhile, ESA has 22 Member States. Shaping and strengthening the German relationship to the other Member States in the European space community is a core task, and so is the co-creation of European industry and technology policies. To represent the German interests at ESA, the German Space Agency at DLR elaborates adequate positions jointly with representatives from politics and research, and regularly deputes delegates to ESA’s various supervisory bodies. Many projects can only be implemented if several countries join forces. This is the only way to operate the International Space Station ISS, to build and launch Ariane and Vega, to develop the European Earth observation system Copernicus, and to implement major scientific missions such as Rosetta and Gaia, to name a few examples. Moreover, a special focus is on the support of applications on Earth such as navigation, telecommunications, as well as weather and climate forecasts.

ESA has a budget of about 6.7 billion euros, with Germany and France being the countries paying the highest contributions. These funds are invested in joint space missions, space research, and innovative space technologies. The focus is on all industrial stakeholders in space flight, from system integrators to start-ups.

Space flight in the European Union – embracing new opportunities

The European Union (EU) is continuously boosting its activities in space flight. Starting in 2021, the navigation systems Galileo and EGNOS and the Earth observation programme Copernicus will be consolidated with the already existing space situational awareness activities and the new programme for governmental satellite communications into one European space programme. Moreover, the EU is increasingly funding space research within the framework of the Horizon Europe programme.

The department for EU affairs of the German Space Agency at DLR (German Aerospace Center) has the task to proactively shape European space policy. It forms the interface between EU-political and national space activities and those of ESA (European Space Agency). Moreover, it represents the German space interests in the EU. In addition, it functions as the national contact point for space flight in the EU research programme Horizon Europe. Here, it informs and advises interested companies about funding options for space topics and supports them in the application process.

Earth observation – seeing our Earth from a different perspective

Monitoring the Earth and its ecological systems from space gives us a special perspective and makes us see our home planet differently. Changes in land surfaces, seas, and the atmosphere become visible, and protective measures for environment and climate can be developed.

We would not have this overview without Earth observation satellites. Remote sensing via satellite enables drawing up digital maps of the Earth’s surface and brings the daily, increasingly precise weather forecasts directly to our living room, our smartphone, aircraft, ships, and fire brigades. It provides biotope mapping, helps with optimising agricultural subsidies and with the planning of mobile communication systems. Furthermore, Earth observation images also show the extent of disasters like earthquakes or floods and their hot spots. In this way, satellite data support emergency services on the spot. With the weather satellites from EUMETSAT and the EU programme Copernicus, we have available the most efficient Earth observation systems worldwide in Germany. The German Space Agency also encourages applications and technological developments such as, for example, the hyperspectral mission EnMAP for new environmental protection applications and efficient resources management, or the METimage radiometer for the next generation of European weather satellites. DLR operates the radar satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, which create a high-resolution 3D digital elevation model of the Earth. The Franco-German mini satellite MERLIN is a climate mission that is to monitor the greenhouse gas methane in the Earth’s atmosphere. Together with the climate mission Copernicus CO2M that is presently being developed, the measurement of sources and the reduction of greenhouse gases from space will soon become a reality, an important prerequisite to validate climate protection measures as agreed upon in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Satellite communication – worldwide access to information

Whether internet, phone, or TV – information is what dominates our daily lives, with an ever increasing data volume being transmitted around the globe. The advantage of satellite communication is mainly the worldwide signal coverage through geostationary satellites. These satellites continuously “stand” over one particular spot on Earth. Today they provide radio and TV programmes as well as multimedia services across the globe. Despite the competition of glass fibre connections and earthbound mobile phone networks the large-scale distribution of information will use first and foremost communication satellites also in the future. Particularly in times of crisis, satellites sustain data and communication connections, like during natural disasters, peacekeeping missions, and within the framework of internal security. To ensure that citizens can participate in digital progress even at locations where there is no possibility to establish gigabit speed or to expand the mobile communication network shortly, satellite communication must be consistently used. Thanks to existing new hybrid technologies and constellations in the near-Earth orbit that will be available soon, the provision with considerably reduced latency, even based on 5G standardisation, will be possible. The incorporation of a world-spanning satellite-based infrastructure in the terrestrial networks offers the opportunity to meet the demand of the modern information society for global and mobile broadband access.

In Germany, the “Satellite Communication” programme covers almost the entire subject area. Of paramount importance are, besides the classical high-frequency technology, also developments for future global multimedia satellite systems and the use of high-performance high-precision lasers for data transmission. For instance, these are used in the European “data highway in space” (European Data Relay System – EDRS). Moreover, in the German satellite mission “Heinrich Hertz”, about 20 experiments for communication, antenna and satellite technology will be conducted on board the satellite with the aim to develop a new generation of modular, geostationary satellites. The basis for this project is the satellite bus SmallGEO from OHB, developed with a significant contribution from Germany, supported by DLR, BMWK, and ESA.

Navigation – reaching the destination safely and reliably

Satellite-based navigation not only helps us safely reach our destination but facilitates our lives in many other areas. Our daily lives cannot be conceived without it anymore. Besides space flight, the number of application fields in aviation, shipping, road traffic, geodesy, agriculture, and also lifesaving is increasing.

Satellite navigation is an important market segment. In order to fully exploit the potentials of this market, we strengthen Germany’s industrial position in global competition and foster commercial technological developments.
A milestone is the civil European satellite navigation system Galileo. It enables high-precision position and time determination, and the signals are compatible with other satellite navigation systems such as GPS, Glonass, or Beidou. Thus, Galileo enhances availability and reliability of satellite navigation. For years, most of the receiver terminals have been able to process at least the signals of GPS and Galileo to enable navigation even under poor reception conditions of a system. The German Space Agency at DLR promotes the development of new applications, specific services, and future technologies for terminal equipment. Moreover, we give advice to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), the leading department for satellite navigation in Germany; we support the ministry in EU councils on the topic of Galileo as well as navigation-related ESA councils.

Extraterrestrics – understanding our universe

Our universe is an inexhaustible laboratory presenting exciting tasks. Scientific space experiments and missions assist us in monitoring in detail and examining both the celestial bodies of our solar system and far-away galaxies. Space exploration is divided in three top priority issues:

Astronomy and astrophysics: scientists use telescopes and detectors featuring highest sensitivity to research on the evolution, development, and structure of the universe and its objects from the outset.

Sun and planetary system: taking the Sun as research object, researchers can investigate astrophysical sequences literally “right on the doorstep”. Models for the influences of the solar wind on the Earth’s magnetic field and the Earth atmosphere can be derived from satellite data. Space probes provide images and data, with the help of which we can get a better understanding of planets, moons, asteroids, and other celestial bodies of our solar system.

Fundamental physics: the special conditions prevailing in space like microgravity and lack of vibration allow for high-precision measurements in metrology, quantum optics, and nuclear physics and provide access to basic questions of modern physics.

To research on space phenomena, the German Space Agency at DLR fosters missions that allow for a detailed insight into the universe. With space probes such as EUCLID for exploring dark matter and dark energy, PLATO for the characterisation of extrasolar planets, JUICE for the exploration of Jupiter and its moons, the German X-ray telescope eROSITA, and the flying observatory SOFIA we explore the solar system and cast a glance at deep space to decipher its hidden secrets and to get a better understanding of the universe.

Launcher systems – safe launch into space

No space flight without rockets. Only launcher systems can carry humans and material into space and allow for scientific exploration and economic use of space. Launcher systems connect Earth and orbit. This is why space launchers are the foundation on which all further space activities are based.

Europe has set itself the goal to be independent regarding exploration and use of space. Own launchers ensure this independence and thus are a core element of German space activities. Since its first launch on Christmas Eve 1979, the Ariane family has been safeguarding this unrestricted and independent European access to space.

Yet Ariane 5 bears the brunt – since the end of the 1990s, it has been carrying payloads reliably and flexibly into various orbits. But as early as 2022, it will be superseded by Ariane 6, which is to strengthen the competitiveness of Europe.

Besides Ariane, two additional launcher systems carry satellites and other payloads for Europe into space: since its very first launch in October 2011, the Russian launcher system Soyuz – launched from the European spaceport in Kourou – has been complementing the heavy load carrier Ariane (more than 10 tons) in the medium payload segment (8.6 tons into a near-Earth orbit; 3 tons into the geostationary orbit). In the medium term, the Soyuz, too, will be superseded by the new Ariane 6.

Since February 2012, the small Vega carrier has been taking lightweight payloads into the low Earth orbit. Its performance-enhanced successor, Vega-C, is scheduled for its first launch in 2021. Aside from that, the view goes forward: it is about making European space transport of tomorrow even more flexible and competitive.

Manned space flight, ISS and exploration – taking astronauts into space

The International Space Station ISS is the most ambitious technical-scientific project of humankind, with the US,
Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe participating. Germany is the most important European ISS partner. As the major contributor, the Federal Republic of Germany is funding 37 per cent of the European infrastructure and makes a significant contribution to scientific use of the space station.

The German Space Agency at DLR is in charge of controlling Germany’s contributions to the ISS programmes of ESA. This applies to erection, operation and utilisation of the space station as well as implementation of the German utilisation programme. This covers, amongst other things, the research laboratory Columbus, the already concluded development of the space cargo carrier Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), staffing with astronauts, operation of the Columbus Control Centre, the data management system for the Russian ISS module Zarya, and the robotic arm ERA for the Russian part of the space station. Top-level research on humans in space and from life sciences, astronomy, materials research and technology testing, as well as industrial and commercial utilisation of the ISS are in the focus.

However, sometimes we can do without humans in space: within the scope of its ESA membership, Germany participates, among other things, in the NASA Mars mission Perseverance, in which a Mars rover has been investigating the geology of our neighbour planet since 2021. The DLR is represented in the scientific team and provides support in processing and evaluation of data and images. In the mission ExoMars 2022, the European Mars rover Rosalind Franklin is scheduled to land on Mars in 2023. Many instruments are installed on the rover that are supported and funded by the German Space Agency at DLR.

Space flight systems and robotics – exploring space with high-tech

Technologies are constantly evolving – also in space flight. Research in the fields of materials research, information and communication technology, sensor technology, and mechatronics has a decisive influence on the space flight systems of tomorrow.

Jointly with users and operators, the German Space Agency at DLR exploits this know-how. Thus, new ideas are created, for example for future space vehicles and satellites following a modular concept. Spare parts are to be identical in construction and to be stored in “space warehouses”. Service robots will take over repair work. In this way, space flight can be made more maintenance-friendly and cost-effective. For example, satellites can be operated over a longer period of time and space debris can be avoided.
DLR makes important contributions to this research area by its robotic hands. Installed on the robot arms of service satellites, these hands could repair other satellites, through exchange of a defective component, unfolding of a frozen solar panel or through an upgrade with more up-to-date technology. State-of-the-art KI-based control technology enhances autonomy and reliability of the robotic co-workers. 3D printing processes for space are investigated in this context to be able to manufacture the spare parts on site in the long term.

Space flight for tomorrow – the German Space Agency at DLR