European journeys through space
As a member of ESA, the European Space Agency, Germany is actively involved in space exploration missions .
Germany is home to some important European Space Agency (ESA) sites. At the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, for example, astronauts train for future missions.
Darmstadt – home to ESOC and EUMETSAT
The centre of European space travel is located in a city in Germany which is more famous for its Technical University and art nouveau treasures: Darmstadt. It is home to ESOC, the European Space Operations Centre, which handles satellite control. EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, is a key ESA partner and also has its headquarters in Darmstadt. But Germany’s contribution to the success of space missions isn’t just limited to these sites.
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Open consent formAriane 6 rocket engine factory
Lampoldshausen is located in the small district of Hardthausen am Kocher in Baden-Württemberg and is the location of some infrastructure which is unique in the whole of Europe. It is here that the engines for Ariane 6 rockets are produced. Ariane 6 is Europe’s new heavy launch vehicle, and is planned to go into service by the end of 2023 if possible. The remarkable thing about Lampoldshausen is that the entire upper stage of the rocket can be tested here. Everything is tried, tested and analysed, from using the software through to igniting the fuel. The site in Germany aims to help Europe take the next step towards exploring space with Ariane 6. Germany is covering just under a quarter of the total cost of the Ariane 6 development programme and has several innovative businesses which are involved in the project.
Missions to Jupiter and the Moon
While Ariane 6 rockets are designed to reach a range of destinations, the ESA’s JUICE mission set off for Jupiter in April 2023. It carries a probe to explore the conditions in which planets form and life can emerge. German research institutions have also developed many of the critical technical instruments. Through the ESA, Germany is also playing a key role in the Artemis mission to the Moon. The majority of the service and propulsion module of the Orion spacecraft was build in Germany, which is why it bears the name “Bremen”. Technology from Germany will also be used in future Artemis missions. For example, sensors made by the Jena-Optronik company will handle Orion’s navigation in space. In future, the sensors will also make it possible to navigate one of the mission’s moon landers.
