Around 320 DLR employees at the Lampoldshausen site are working to make the space flight of tomorrow more efficient, cost-effective and safer with innovative propulsion systems and environmentally friendly propellants. Since 1959, they have been researching, developing and testing innovative technologies for chemical space propulsion systems on a test stand infrastructure that is unique in Europe.
Space research influences decisions in science, politics and industry and drives technological development on Earth. Many innovations and developments are the result of space flight. In addition, the pioneering spirit it requires is a constant source of fascination. But there are other reasons why we cannot do without space flight.
The new Ariane 6 launcher
Credit:
ESA / D. Ducros
Global earth observation, telecommunications, radio and television – these all require satellites. They help us to better protect our environment and human lives. However, the best satellites are useless if they are not orbiting in space. Rockets are used to bring them from Earth into the right orbit. As satellites are an extremely expensive and often one-off transport item, the launchers for this cargo must be particularly reliable – and also affordable, powerful and flexible in order to remain internationally competitive in commercial space flight. The European Space Agency (ESA) has been operating the Ariane program since 1973. This ensures that the member states have independent access to space.
Securing Europe's independent access to space
The DLR Institute of Space Propulsion at the Lampoldshausen site is a European leader in the research, development and testing of space propulsion systems and components. With its versatile and globally valued expertise and experience, the DLR Institute offers its institutional and industrial customers and partners project support and implementation from the basic idea to the final, flight-ready hardware realization. The Lampoldshausen test site is an important German contribution to securing Europe's independent access to space and the success of current and future European space projects.
The DLR Institute's research promotes the development of sustainable rocket engines and supports both German and European space programs. The research topics range from pre-combustion chambers, turbopumps, thrust chambers, rocket nozzles, fuel management, ignition, cooling and combustion instabilities to service life measurements and manufacturing techniques. Another focus is the development and testing of sustainable, environmentally friendly and green propellants, which are to be used as an alternative to hydrazine-based propellants in satellite engines.
Research into the propulsion concepts of the future is of crucial importance for the development and operation of the next generations of launch vehicles.
DLR Institute's research combustion chamber provides new insights into the combustion processes inside a rocket engine
The combustion process inside a combustion chamber gives the rocket the thrust for its journey into space. The dynamics of the flame play an important role here: they influence the performance and reliability of the combustion chamber. The windows in the combustion chamber made of special high-tech glass – known in research as optical access – make it possible to analyze all the important physical processes.
DLR researchers develop, characterize and test advanced propellants
The physico-chemical laboratory focuses on the application-oriented development, characterization and testing of advanced propellants, propellant components, novel functional materials and propellant concepts for aerospace propulsion systems.
LUMEN – Technology demonstrator for the development of innovative propulsion concepts
In the LUMEN (Liquid Upper Stage Demonstrator Engine) project, DLR is developing a pump-fed liquid oxygen and methane engine. The focus is on investigating the behavior of a complete liquid rocket cycle and its individual components. The tests will take place at the European research and technology test stand P8 on the DLR site in Lampoldshausen.
