Nov 18, 2022
Record number of participants at the 71st German Aerospace Congress 2022 in Dresden
Current topics, productive discussions and a record number of participants - the 71st German Aerospace Congress (DLRK) came to a successful close on 29 September 2022. More than 700 experts, young professionals and interested parties used the last three days to learn about and exchange information on current research projects and new approaches.
"The strong response to DLRK 2022 shows how important such events are for exchange and networking," said Roland Gerhards, President of the German Aerospace Society (DGLR).
Space travel in the focus of political decisions
On the first day of the congress, 27 September, German astronaut Dr Matthias Maurer spoke about the situation with Russia and the International Space Station ISS in his plenary talk "Cosmic Kiss". In his talk, Maurer reported on his research during his mission on the space station, which can find current application in times of Corona: With his experiment "Touching Surfaces", the material scientist examined germ-killing material.
Prof. Dr. Martin Tajmar from the Technical University of Dresden inspired the audience at the end of the plenary lecture programme with his contribution "Revolutionary Space Propulsion". He gave the audience a glimpse into what he considered a realistic future: Travelling at the speed of light. Tajmar wants to overcome the three limits of time, distance and mass, which represent an enormous challenge when travelling at the speed of light.
New propulsion systems and software methods
The current challenges of the aviation sector were also discussed at the DLRK. The main focus was on how the carbon footprint of aircraft can be improved - for example, through the use of innovative propulsion systems. For the head of the DLRK programme commission, Prof. Dr Hartmut Fricke from the Technical University of Dresden, the future lies in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and hydrogen technologies.
On the last day of the DLRK, Dr Sabine Roller from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) spoke in her plenary lecture "Software Methods in Aircraft Development" about the tools needed to efficiently assemble the various building blocks of an aircraft.
Preparing for the future at the DLRK
In addition to exciting topics, the young scientists also met potential employers during the congress. At the opening event, the Young Scientist Awards were once again presented for outstanding student research projects, Bachelor's and Master's theses and dissertations in the field of aerospace.
At the social evening, Katharina Kreitz, together with her team Vectoflow, received the German Aerospace Industry Badge of Honour.
The full article can be read at: https://www.dglr.de/nc/informieren/meldungen/newsmeldung-einzel/article/rekordteilnehmerzahlen-beim-71-deutschen-luft-und-raumfahrtkongress-dlrk-2022-in-dresden/