DLR Space Administration
DLR Space Administration
mm Radar4Space:
A new imaging technology based on mm-wave radar was developed in a joint research project with Goethe University Frankfurt, Ferdinand-Braun Institut für Höchstfrequenz in Berlin and Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen. It enables a service satellite to detect and precisely locate other satellites or space debris. The University of Frankfurt currently designs radar sensors with a modular architecture using this technology. These sensors can be installed at various places on a service satellite. Antenna und front-end electronics are integrated in compact modules, only the imagine data processing takes place in a central module outside of the antenna module. The system can detect other objects at a distance of 1000 m. In the close-up range (under 20 m) it is possible to create 3D pictures in real-time.
PDF: Real-Time Data Acquisition and Signal Processing of a Multistatic mm-Wave Radar System
DLR KN
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Communications and Navigation in Oberpfaffenhofen
ARGOS / VABENE Coarse Pointing Assembly:
Very precise dynamic dual-axis autotracking of a laser beam for optical data transmission from an airplane to earth. Proven reliability demonstrated during various campaigns, including operation onboard a Dornier Do 228.
PDF: Optical Data Downlinks from Earth Observation Platforms
DLR KN
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Communications and Navigation in Oberpfaffenhofen
Transportable Optical Ground Station TOGS:
Mobile ground station for optical up- and downlinks with high bandwidth (10 GBit/s). The device can be deployed within minutes and can establish a connection to a satellite, to a stratospheric platform or to an airplane over a distance of more than 100 km. TOGS has proven its service during a lot of research projects such as ARGOS, VABENE and DODfast.
DLR KN
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Communications and Navigation in Oberpfaffenhofen
CAPANINA Coarse Pointing Assembly:
Very precise dual-axis autotracking of a laser beam used for high bandwidth optical data transmission (1.25 GBits/s) from the stratosphere down to earth. Successful maiden flight in 2004 on a research balloon operating from a height of 23 km over a total distance of up to 64 km.
Fraunhofer IIS
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits in Fuerth:
Mobile x-ray scan (x-ray computed tomography) with two standard industrial robots:
Very large objects (e.g. wings, rudders, etc) can be inspected on-site by this mobile x‑ray CT scanner. While one robot is pointing the source, the other one aligns the detector accordingly. Precise positioning and synchronization of the robots is necessary to achieve high quality CT results.