DLR - Blogs

The new DLR short-arm centrifuge in :envihab

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:28:00 +0200

The new short-arm human centrifuge was installed in :envihab at DLR Cologne between late February and early March 2013. Installation of the 'heart of :envihab' lasted several weeks. We took advantage of this rare opportunity to take a closer look at the individual stages of the installation (with time-lapse video).

National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:10:00 +0200

The National Space Symposium has been held annually in Colorado Springs, United States, for 28 years. DLR has been involved for much of this time, contributing aspects of its research and development, and progressing far beyond the role of an 'ordinary member'. A delegation from DLR attended this year's symposium, actively participating by giving talks and taking part in exhibitions.

How far has DESERTEC actually progressed?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:50:00 +0200

In contrast to widespread public perception, DESERTEC, the desert electricity project, is not simply an investment programme of 400 billion euros or more where a start is made today on a project that will reach completion in 40 years. DESERTEC is far more about initiating sustainable development.

東京にある DLR (DLR in Tokio)

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:30:00 +0100

In addition to having offices in Washington, Brussels and Paris, DLR has now opened an office in Tokyo. To mark this occasion, a small delegation flew to Japan, where its members met with representatives from many institutions. A reception was held, which was attended by guests from Japan and Germany to mark the opening. This function was hosted jointly with the German ambassador, Volker Stanzel, at his official residence. These days in Japan meant a great deal to me, both with respect to the opportunities it brings for DLR and on a personal level, for myself.

Video – To Australia in 90 minutes at hypersonic speed

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0100

The revolutionary SpaceLiner concept offers a unique vision for a high-speed passenger transportation system of the future by seamlessly spanning the boundaries between aviation and spaceflight. Currently under design at the German Aerospace Center, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the ultra-fast hypersonic spaceplane is designed to transport 50 passengers from Australia to Europe in an unprecedented 90 minutes.

Landsat 8 – into space on Carnival Monday

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:21:00 +0100

For over 40 years, the US Landsat series of satellites has been delivering multispectral and thermal imaging data of the entire planet at a consistent high quality. As a consequence, the Landsat data archive has become an important tool for Earth remote sensing. It has helped to visualise long-term changes on the ground, to explore the influence of mankind on the biosphere and to manage natural resources.

ESA council meeting at ministerial level – a personal view

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:30:00 +0100

In my last blog entry, I referred to the preparations for the European Space Agency council meeting at ministerial level, to be held in Naples and the key topics 'the future of ESA', 'launch systems' and 'utilisation of the International Space Station'. Well, now that the conference has ended, it is time to take stock. At this point, I would like to highlight primarily my own personal experience, since the facts and agreed conclusions have already received plenty of attention in the media.

A heated debate concerning 'a cold potato'

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:10:00 +0100

My blog has been quiet in recent weeks; the reason for this is that it has been hectic. Too many appointments and events – from the ILA Berlin Airshow and the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Naples, to internal appointments within DLR – have fully taken up the time allocated to me by Earth's rotation. One particularly important event is the upcoming ESA Council meeting at ministerial level, which will also take place in Naples, on 20 and 21 November 2012. This meeting is being built up as a directional decision-making session dealing with a range of open questions.

Equal opportunities through flexible work schedules

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:50:00 +0200

This article was originally written for the ATKearney 361° Blog.

The lifestyles of DLR employees are as many and diverse as DLR's research areas – this represents both an opportunity and a challenge. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) needs the best people – both male and female – now and in the future, to maintain its excellence in research and development. Therefore, we at DLR endeavour to create an environment in which employees can fully develop their potential. From my own experience, having had two working parents, I can say that, not only do I believe in the issue of equal opportunity in theoretical terms, but am also committed to it practically.

The DLR Magazine now also for your tablet - but why?

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:50:00 +0200

The DLR Magazine is the most important printed media in DLR’s communication portfolio. In spite of this, or rather, especially because of this, it is now available for tablets such as the iPad and devices running the Android operating system.

A political week - with a sad ending

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:50:00 +0200

DLR got quite a bit of political attention last week, with a steady parade of three Federal ministers, a State minister and two State secretaries. Such contacts are very important for DLR because – rather than give a quantitative balance in terms of "what are you doing with the taxpayers' money?" – we are able to show them the work carried out at our research sites. Unfortunately, the weekend ended sadly with the death of a great man: Neil Armstrong.

Ariane 5 with record GTO payload mass launches tonight

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:02:00 +0200

Exactly four weeks after the last launch, the next Ariane is, once again, on the launch platform! The final launch preparations are underway for what will be the fourth Ariane 5 launch (VA208) this year from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The 'dress rehearsal' took place last Friday, and the Launch Readiness Review was completed successfully on Tuesday. Yesterday, the rocket was rolled out to the launch platform, so nothing stands in the way of tonight’s launch. The Ariane 5 launch window opens at 22:54 CEST and closes 57 minutes later at 23:51 CEST. Those interested can follow the launch on the 'live-stream' provided by Arianespace.

… And that's a wrap!

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:40:00 +0200

Last week was amazing – the largest ever International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) was held in Munich. With over 2700 participants from 68 countries, and over 2500 scientific presentations, it was an excellent platform for knowledge exchange and the exploration and discussion of topics related to 'Remote Sensing for a Dynamic Earth'. Some of the highlights of the symposium included ESA's Envisat and upcoming Sentinel missions, the future of Earth observation, and last but not least, DLR's TanDEM-X and TerraSAR-X satellites.

DLR Webcast: Interview with Stefan Dech at IGARSS 2012

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:30:00 +0200

The International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) is a place for those working in these fields to gather and discuss the current developments and future in a wide variety of perspectives. Why are digital elevation models so important? And why have radar satellites become of great importance to us? Stefan Dech, Director of DLR’s Earth Observation Centre, gives us his views at IGARSS 2012.

DLR Webcast: Interview with Manfred Zink at IGARSS 2012

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0200

TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X are exceeding the expectations of the scientific community. Why exactly? And what comes next? During the IGARSS 2012 symposium in Munich, we were able to speak to Manfred Zink, Project Manager of the Ground Segment of the mission. He is responsible for directing the entire mission, from the close flight formation of the TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X satellites to the creation of the digital elevation model.