German Aerospace Center

DLR conducts space research at the highest level and develops innovative energy and mobility concepts. In doing so, the Helmholtz Center focuses on issues of security and digitalization. DLR's headquarters are in Cologne. A total of around 10,000 employees are active at 30 other locations. Together, they tackle complex issues in aerospace and mobility: The experts explore space, develop low-emission aircraft, test new propulsion technologies and send satellites into orbit for Earth observation. On behalf of the German federal government, DLR is also home to the German Space Agency, whose tasks include designing and implementing the national aerospace program and managing Germany's contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

11.539

employees (2023)
1.324

PhD students in 2023
292

visiting scientists from 88 countries in 2023

Research programs

Aeronautics

Space

Transport

Materials and technologies for the energy transition

Helmholtz awards Doctoral Prize

At Helmholtz, nearly 9,000 doctoral candidates conduct research. Eleven of them have now been honored. Each year, Helmholtz awards the best and most original doctoral theses with the Doctoral Prize.
Information, Aeronautics, Space and Transport, Health, Earth & Environment, Energy, Matter
What moved us this year

As 2024 draws to a close, we look back at defining moments in the community. Some are surprising, others are encouraging and still others are thought-provoking. What all ten have in common, however,…
Aeronautics, Space and Transport
Making a clean takeoff with electric engines

In order to achieve our climate targets, we can leave no stone unturned – and aviation is no exception. Experts at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Electrified Aero Engines are now…
Earth & Environment
An AI model of the global carbon cycle

A new basic AI model will help to better understand the global carbon cycle and make predictions about future changes. The project needs one thing above all else: Lots of high-quality data from…
Aeronautics, Space and Transport
Heavy metal in outer space

Asteroids are cosmic piles of debris, an agglomeration of rocks, or at least they usually are. The asteroid "Psyche", which is now to be examined by a space probe, could be an exception. Researchers…
Aeronautics, Space and Transport
Joint research for the aircraft of tomorrow

In order to make future commercial aircraft even more efficient, a research project that has so far been carried out in Germany is testing aerodynamic limits. But the phenomena are so complex that…