With the construction of the German Center for Astrophysics (DZA), Saxony will gain a new national research hub with international reach, funded with €170 million per year from the Federal and State governments.

Astrophysics is a high-tech discipline with great innovative capacity. Research in this field will pave the way for more precise studies of the universe. Today’s giant telescopes are located all around the world, building a crucial foundation for international collaboration. These are complex tools that require ultra-precise measurement equipment. They must continue to be developed with a view to the major challenges posed to precise measurement equipment, both in optics and sensor technology. Furthermore, data from telescopes all around the world will flow to Lusatia every day in the future. The data volume will exceed that which is currently shared worldwide over the Internet on a daily basis. The resulting data storage and computing requirements will create an ideal field of application for the advancement of digital sciences. Both research areas have enormous potential for commerce and society.

The leading applicant and founding director of the DZA is the Director of Science at the European Space Agency, Professor Günther Hasinger. TU Dresden will spearhead the project over the course of the three-year development phase. It will also be responsible for the advancement of digital and technological instruments at the DZA. It combines all the aspects of modern technology and drives economic development forward.

2 locations: Görlitz and between Hoyerswerda, Kamenz and Bautzen

You can find further information on the project website.