Space @ TU Darmstadt

Space Technology - Space Missions - Interdisciplinary Topics

Open Lecture and Discussion for Students and Guests

Is there space research at TU Darmstadt? The question is obvious, given that Darmstadt is known as "Europe’s Gateway to Space" thanks to being home to the European Space Operations Centre (ESA/ESOC) and the satellite operator EUMETSAT.

With the colloquium "Space @ TU Darmstadt," we organize an event series with a showcase character: on three to five evenings per semester, current and fundamental topics in space research are explored. In particular, the research conducted in Darmstadt will be highlighted here.

Sommer Semester 2025

Lecture 1 - 22 May 2025 - 18:00

Active Debris Removal – The Next Level Challenge of Space Missions

  • Speaker: Dr.-Ing. Christian Steimle
    ClearSpace-1 Project Manager, European Space Agency
  • Abstract: As space activities continue to expand, the growing accumulation of debris in Earth’s orbit poses a significant risk to both current and future missions. In our first lecture, Dr.-Ing. Christian Steimle, Project Manager of the ClearSpace-1 mission at the European Space Agency (ESA), will present the need for active debris removal (ADR) and examine the associated technological and operational challenges. Highlighting the ClearSpace-1 project—ESA’s pioneering effort to capture and deorbit defunct space objects—he will explore innovative solutions for removing debris and discuss how ADR represents a critical step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of space operations.

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Lecture 2 - 5 June 2025 - 18:00

Europe’s Eyes on the Weather and Climate: Meteosat Third Generation

  • Speaker: Dr. Jochen Grandell
    Meteosat Third Generation (MTG), Programme Scientist, EUMETSAT, Darmstadt
  • Abstract: TBD

Lecture 3 - 3 July 2025 - 18:00

TBD

  • Speaker: Prof. Dr. Robert Roth,
    Professor for Theoretical Nuclear and Many-Particle Physics, Institute for Nuclear Physics, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt
  • Abstract: TBD

Lecture 4 - 17 July 2025 - 18:00

Is space radiation a showstopper for the mission to Mars?

  • Speaker: Prof. Dr. Marco Durante
    Biophysics Department, Director, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt
    Full professor of Physics, Institut für Physik Kondensierter Materie, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt
  • Abstract: As humanity sets its sights on crewed missions to Mars, one of the most formidable challenges remains exposure to space radiation. Unlike low Earth orbit, deep space travel subjects astronauts to cosmic radiation and acute solar particle events, posing significant health risks. In our last lecture, Prof. Dr. Marco Durante will explore the biological effects of space radiation and whether radiation could ultimately limit human exploration of Mars. Drawing from his biophysics research at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Prof. Durante will assess the realistic risks and potential solutions, addressing the critical question: Is space radiation a showstopper - or a solvable obstacle - for Mars missions?

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Event Location - "Maschinenhalle"

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TU Darmstadt - S105/122
Magdalenenstraße 12
64289 Darmstadt