Short History German Space Travel
To be honest, when I first had the idea of writing about German space travel, I didn't think there would be a lot to write about. I actually just thought that the title "A Short History of German...
To be honest, when I first had the idea of writing about German space travel, I didn't think there would be a lot to write about. I actually just thought that the title "A Short History of German Space Travel" sounded good. After looking into the matter, I was a little surprised. Even though no German astronaut ever made it to the moon, there's a whole lot of German involvement in space travel. Let's take a peek.
How did Germany's space program begin?
It all started in the 1920s. While Germany was banned from researching or producing military technology by the Versailles Treaty after WWI, rocket science was - surprisingly - not part of that ban. German scientists jumped on it. In the "Golden Twenties," rocket science and the idea of space travel quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Large-scale public experiments were accompanied by fiction, non-fiction, movies, and the founding of space travel associations.
With the Third Reich, aerospace research was completely militarised and declared a state secret. The scientists worked on space flight and weaponisation simultaneously. German scientists actually were the first to shoot a rocket into space in 1942. Less than two years later, rockets of the same type - now infamously known as the V-2 - became enormously destructive weapons.
After the war, Germany was banned from military research again, this time including rocket science. Remaining technology and numerous scientists were taken to the USA and the USSR.
Who was the first German in space?
New generations of German scientists didn't lose interest. After the occupation ended, they instantly got involved in international space programs. Western German scientists cooperated with the USA. GDR experts participated in Soviet programs.
In 1967, West Germany started its first autonomous space program, launching its first satellite two years later. The GDR launched its own satellite in 1969.
In 1978, GDR citizen Sigmund Jahn became the first German in space, visiting a Soviet space station. West Germany sent its first astronaut into space five years later.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1920s | "Rocket fever" - German scientists exploit Versailles Treaty loophole |
| 1942 | First rocket reaches space (German-built) |
| 1944 | V-2 rockets deployed as weapons in WWII |
| 1945 | Scientists and technology taken to USA and USSR |
| 1969 | FRG launches first satellite; GDR launches its own |
| 1975 | Germany helps create the European Space Agency (ESA) |
| 1978 | Sigmund Jahn (GDR) - first German in space |
| 1983 | First West German astronaut in space |
| 2014 | DLR leads Rosetta probe landing unit development |
What is Germany's role in space today?
There was major German involvement in creating the European Space Agency in 1975. German scientists participated in missions like Viking 1 and 2, Voyager 1 and 2, and the repeated launches of the Ariane carrier rocket.
After reunification, international space travel became less of a race and more of a joint venture. German astronauts have visited space on both Russian and American missions. German experiments made it onto the Pathfinder missions to Mars. The German space agency DLR headed the development of the landing unit for the famous Rosetta probe and is involved in a large number of probe missions with all kinds of goals.
It very much seems as if I underestimated German space science. From the very beginnings of international rocket research and space exploration, German scientists have been aboard. If you get my drift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Germany have a space program?
Yes. The DLR (German Aerospace Center) is Germany's national space agency. It's a major contributor to the European Space Agency and leads development on missions including the Rosetta probe's landing unit. Germany has been involved in space research since the 1920s.
Who was the first German astronaut?
Sigmund Jahn, a citizen of East Germany (GDR), became the first German in space in 1978 when he visited a Soviet space station. West Germany sent its first astronaut into space five years later in 1983.
Did Germany invent rockets?
German scientists made major early contributions to rocketry. They were the first to shoot a rocket into space in 1942. The V-2 rocket, developed during WWII, became the foundation for both the American and Soviet space programs after the war.
