The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, security and digitalisation is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organisation for the nation’s largest project management agency.

DLR has approximately 8000 employees at 20 locations in Germany: Cologne (headquarters), Augsburg, Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Dresden, Goettingen, Hamburg, Jena, Juelich, Lampoldshausen, Neustrelitz, Oberpfaffenhofen, Oldenburg, Stade, Stuttgart, Trauen, and Weilheim. DLR also has offices in Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

Air transport sector efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable

The primary objective of DLR aeronautics research activities is to enhance the competitiveness of Germany and Europe's aerospace and air transport industries and to achieve governmental and societal objectives. In addition to fundamental research work, DLR is primarily concerned with applied aerospace research and development. DLR has set itself the challenge of making the fast-growing air transport sector efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable. DLR's aerospace technology portfolio is geared towards the objectives stated in the European strategy paper 'Flightpath 20150’ and its German counterpart, 'Luftfahrtstrategie der Bundesregierung Deutschland'.